e to a similar decision。 Fortresses； therefore；are useful or not according to circumstances； if they do you good in oneway they injure you in another。 And this question can be reasoned thus：the prince who has more to fear from the people than from foreignersought to build fortresses； but he who has more to fear from foreignersthan from the people ought to leave them alone。 The castle of Milan；built by Francesco Sforza； has made； and will make； more trouble for thehouse of Sforza than any other disorder in the state。 For this reasonthe best possible fortress is …… not to be hated by the people； because；although you may hold the fortresses； yet they will not save you if thepeople hate you； for there will never be wanting foreigners to assist apeople who have taken arms against you。 It has not been seen in ourtimes that such fortresses have been of use to any prince； unless to theCountess of Forli； when the Count Girolamo； her consort； was killed； forby that means she was able to withstand the popular attack and wait forassistance from Milan； and thus recover her state； and the posture ofaffairs was such at that time that the foreigners could not assist thepeople。 But fortresses were of little value to her afterwards whenCesare Borgia attacked her； and when the people； her enemy； were alliedwith foreigners。 Therefore it would have been safer for her； both thenand before； not to have been hated by the people than to have had thefortresses。 All these things considered then； I shall praise him whobuilds fortresses as well as him who does not； and I shall blamewhoever； trusting in them； cares little about being hated by the people。CHAPTER XXIHOW A PRINCE SHOULD CONDUCT HIMSELF SO AS TO GAIN RENOWNNOTHING makes a prince so much esteemed as great enterprises and settinga fine ex