noch mehr ist gegen ihn gesündigt worden.' Liberty is good, but Unity is
its only sure foundation. It is the way to the Unity of Government and
People that the thoughts both of _The Prince_ and the _Discorsi_ lead,
though the incidents be so nakedly presented as to shock the timorous
and vex the prurient, the puritan, and the evil thinker. The people must
obey the State and fight and die for its salvation, and for the Prince
the hatred of the subjects is never good, but their love, and the best
way to gain it is by 'not interrupting the subject in the quiet
enjoyment of his estate.' Even so bland and gentle a spirit as the poet
Gray cannot but comment, 'I rejoice when I see Machiavelli defended or
illustrated, who to me appears one of the wisest men that any nation in
any age hath produced.'

[Sidenote: The Art of War.]

Throughout both _The Prince_ and the _Discorsi_ are constant allusions
to, and often long discussions on, military affairs. The Army profoundly
interested Machiavelli both as a primary condition of national existence
and stability, and also, as he pondered upon the contrast between
ancient Rome and the Florence that he lived in, as a subject fascinating
in itself. His _Art of War_ was probably published in 1520. Before that
date the Florentine Secretary had had some personal touch both with the
theory and practice of war. As a responsible official in the camp before
Pisa he had seen both siege work and fighting. Having lost faith in
mercenary forces he made immense attempts to form a National Militia,
and was appointed Chancellor of the Nove della Milizia. In Switzerland
and the Tyrol he had studied army questions. He planned with Pietro
Navarro the defence of Florence and Prato against Charles V. At Verona
and Mantua in 1509, he closely studied the famous siege of Padua. From
birth to death war and battles raged all about him, and he had personal