ose arms bee yours； those men who were distrustedbee faithful； and those who were faithful are kept so； and yoursubjects bee your adherents。 And whereas all subjects cannot bearmed； yet when those whom you do arm are benefited； the others can behandled more freely； and this difference in their treatment； akes the former your dependants； and the latter；considering it to be necessary that those who have the most danger andservice should have the most reward； excuse you。 But when you disarmthem； you at once offend them by showing that you distrust them； eitherfor cowardice or for want of loyalty； and either of these opinionsbreeds hatred against you。 And because you cannot remain unarmed； itfollows that you turn to mercenaries； which are of the character alreadyshown； even if they should be good they would not be sufficient todefend you against powerful enemies and distrusted subjects。 Therefore；as I have said； a new prince in a new principality has alwaysdistributed arms。 Histories are full of examples。 But when a princeacquires a new state； which he adds as a province to his old one； thenit is necessary to disarm the men of that state； except those who havebeen his adherents in acquiring it； and these again； with time andopportunity； should be rendered soft and effeminate； and matters shouldbe managed in such a way that all the armed men in the state shall beyour own soldiers who in your old state were living near you。3。 Our forefathers； and those who were reckoned wise； were accustomed tosay that it was necessary to hold Pistoia by factions and Pisa byfortresses； and with this idea they fostered quarrels in some of theirtributary towns so as to keep possession of them the more easily。 Thismay have been well enough in those times when Italy was in a waybalanced； but I do