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Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius

by Niccolò Machiavelli

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  1. 1Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius
  2. 2Book I
  3. 3Chapter I — Of the Beginnings of Cities in General, and in Particul…
  4. 4Chapter II — Of the Various Kinds of Government; and to Which of Th…
  5. 5Chapter III — Of the Accidents Which Led in Rome to the Creation of…
  6. 6Chapter IV — That the Dissensions Between the Senate and Commons of…
  7. 7Chapter VI — Whether It Was Possible in Rome to Contrive Such a Gov…
  8. 8Chapter VII — That to Preserve Liberty in a State There Must Exist…
  9. 9Chapter VIII — That Calumny Is as Hurtful in a Commonwealth as the…
  10. 10Chapter IX — That to Give New Institutions to a Commonwealth, or to…
  11. 11Chapter X — That in Proportion as the Founder of a Kingdom or Commo…
  12. 12Chapter XI — Of the Religion of the Romans
  13. 13Chapter XII — That It Is of Much Moment to Make Account of Religion…
  14. 14Chapter XIII — Of the Use the Romans Made of Religion in Giving Ins…
  15. 15Chapter XV — How the Samnites, as a Last Resource in Their Broken F…
  16. 16Chapter XVI — That a People Accustomed to Live Under a Prince, If b…
  17. 17Chapter XVII — That a Corrupt People Obtaining Freedom Can Hardly P…
  18. 18Chapter XVIII — How a Free Government Existing in a Corrupt City Ma…
  19. 19Chapter XIX — After a Strong Prince a Weak Prince May Maintain Hims…
  20. 20Chapter XX — That the Consecutive Reigns of Two Valiant Princes Pro…
  21. 21Chapter XXI — That It Is a Great Reproach to a Prince or to a Commo…
  22. 22Chapter XXII — What Is to Be Noted in the Combat of the Three Roman…
  23. 23Chapter XXIII — That We Should Never Hazard Our Whole Fortunes Wher…
  24. 24Chapter XXIV — That Well-Ordered States Always Provide Rewards and…
  25. 25Chapter XXV — That He Who Would Reform the Institutions of a Free S…
  26. 26Chapter XXVI — A New Prince in a City or Province of Which He Has T…
  27. 27Chapter XXVII — That Men Seldom Know How to Be Wholly Good or Wholl…
  28. 28Chapter XXVIII — Whence It Came That the Romans Were Less Ungratefu…
  29. 29Chapter XXIX — Whether a People or a Prince Is the More Ungrateful
  30. 30Chapter XXX — How Princes and Commonwealths May Avoid the Vice of I…
  31. 31Chapter XXXI — That the Roman Captains Were Never Punished With Ext…
  32. 32Chapter XXXII — That a Prince or Commonwealth Should Not Delay Conf…
  33. 33Chapter XXXIII — When a Mischief Has Grown Up in, or Against a Stat…
  34. 34Chapter XXXV — Why the Creation of the Decemvirate in Rome, Althoug…
  35. 35Chapter XXXVI — That Citizens Who Have Held the Higher Offices of a…
  36. 36Chapter XXXVIII — That Weak Republics Are Irresolute and Undecided;…
  37. 37Chapter XXXIX — That Often the Same Accidents Are Seen to Befall Di…
  38. 38Chapter XLI — That It Is Unwise to Pass at a Bound From Leniency to…
  39. 39Chapter XLII — How Easily Men Become Corrupted
  40. 40Chapter XLIII — That Men Fighting in Their Own Cause Make Good and…
  41. 41Chapter XLIV — That the Multitude Is Helpless Without a Head: And T…
  42. 42Chapter XLVI — That Men Climb From One Step of Ambition to Another,…
  43. 43Chapter XLVII — That Though Men Deceive Themselves in Generalities,…
  44. 44Chapter XLIX — That If Cities Which, Like Rome, Had Their Beginning…
  45. 45Chapter L — That Neither Any Council nor Any Magistrate Should Have…
  46. 46Chapter LI — What a Prince or Republic Does of Necessity, Should Se…
  47. 47Chapter LIII — That the People, Deceived by a False Show of Advanta…
  48. 48Chapter LIV — Of the Boundless Authority Which a Great Man May Use…
  49. 49Chapter LVI — That When Great Calamities Are About to Befall a City…
  50. 50Chapter LVII — That the People Are Strong Collectively, but Individ…
  51. 51Chapter LVIII — That a People Is Wiser and More Constant Than a Prince
  52. 52Chapter LIX — To What Leagues or Alliances We May Most Trust; Wheth…
  53. 53Chapter LX — That the Consulship and All the Other Magistracies in…
  54. 54Book II
  55. 55Chapter I — Whether the Empire Acquired by the Romans Was More Due…
  56. 56Chapter II — With What Nations the Romans Had to Contend, and How S…
  57. 57Chapter III — That Rome Became Great by Destroying the Cities Which…
  58. 58Chapter IV — That Commonwealths Have Followed Three Methods for Ext…
  59. 59Chapter V — That Changes in Sects and Tongues, and the Happening of…
  60. 60Chapter VI — Of the Methods Followed by the Romans in Making War
  61. 61Chapter VII — Of the Quantity of Land Assigned by the Romans to Eac…
  62. 62Chapter VIII — Why Certain Nations Leave Their Ancestral Seats and…
  63. 63Chapter IX — Of the Causes Which Commonly Give Rise to Wars Between…
  64. 64Chapter X — That Contrary to the Vulgar Opinion, Money Is Not the S…
  65. 65Chapter XI — That It Were Unwise to Ally Yourself a Prince Who Has…
  66. 66Chapter XII — Whether When Invasion Is Imminent It Is Better to Ant…
  67. 67Chapter XIII — That Men Rise From Humble to High Fortunes Rather by…
  68. 68Chapter XIV — That Men Often Err in Thinking They Can Subdue Pride…
  69. 69Chapter XV — That Weak States Are Always Dubious in Their Resolves;…
  70. 70Chapter XVI — That the Soldiers of Our Days Depart Widely From the…
  71. 71Chapter XVII — What Importance the Armies of the Present Day Should…
  72. 72Chapter XVIII — That the Authority of the Romans and the Example of…
  73. 73Chapter XIX — That Acquisitions Made by Ill-Governed States and Suc…
  74. 74Chapter XX — Of the Dangers Incurred by Princes or Republics Who Re…
  75. 75Chapter XXI — That Capua Was the First City to Which the Romans Sen…
  76. 76Chapter XXII — That in Matters of Moment Men Often Judge Amiss
  77. 77Chapter XXIII — That in Chastising Their Subjects When Circumstance…
  78. 78Chapter XXIV — That, Commonly, Fortresses Do Much More Harm Than Good
  79. 79Chapter XXV — That He Who Attacks a City Divided Against Itself, Mu…
  80. 80Chapter XXVI — That Taunts and Abuse Breed Hatred Against Him Who U…
  81. 81Chapter XXVII — That Prudent Princes and Republics Should Be Conten…
  82. 82Chapter XXVIII — That to Neglect the Redress of Grievances, Whether…
  83. 83Chapter XXIX — That Fortune Obscures the Minds of Men When She Woul…
  84. 84Chapter XXX — That Really Powerful Princes and, Commonwealths Do No…
  85. 85Chapter XXXI — Of the Danger of Trusting Banished Men
  86. 86Chapter XXXII — In How Many Ways the Romans Gained Possession of Towns
  87. 87Chapter XXXIII — That the Romans Intrusted the Captains of Their Ar…
  88. 88Book III
  89. 89Chapter II — That on Occasion It Is Wise to Feign Folly
  90. 90Chapter III — That to Preserve a Newly Acquired Freedom We Must Sla…
  91. 91Chapter IV — That an Usurper Is Never Safe in His Princedom While T…
  92. 92Chapter V — How an Hereditary King May Come to Lose His Kingdom
  93. 93Chapter VI — Of Conspiracies
  94. 94Chapter VII — Why It Is That Changes From Freedom to Servitude, and…
  95. 95Chapter VIII — That He Who Would Effect Changes in a Commonwealth,…
  96. 96Chapter IX — That to Enjoy Constant Good Fortune We Must Change Wit…
  97. 97Chapter X — That a Captain Cannot Escape Battle When His Enemy Forc…
  98. 98Chapter XI — That One Who Has to Contend With Many, Though He Be We…
  99. 99Chapter XII — A Prudent Captain Will Do What He Can to Make It Nece…
  100. 100Chapter XIII — Whether We May Trust More to a Valiant Captain With…
  101. 101Chapter XIV — Of the Effect Produced in Battle by Strange and Unexp…
  102. 102Chapter XV — That One and Not Many Should Head an Army: And Why It…
  103. 103Chapter XVI — That in Times of Difficulty True Worth Is Sought After…
  104. 104Chapter XVII — That We Are Not to Offend a Man, and Then Send Him t…
  105. 105Chapter XVIII — That It Is the Highest Quality of a Captain to Be A…
  106. 106Chapter XIX — Whether Indulgence or Severity Be More Necessary for…
  107. 107Chapter XX — How One Humane Act Availed More With the Men of Faleri…
  108. 108Chapter XXI — How It Happened That Hannibal Pursuing a Course Contr…
  109. 109Chapter XXII — That the Severity of Manlius Torquatus and the Gentl…
  110. 110Chapter XXIII — Why Camillus Was Banished From Rome
  111. 111Chapter XXIV — That Prolonged Commands Brought Rome to Servitude
  112. 112Chapter XXV — _Of the Poverty of Cincinnatus and of Many Other Roma…
  113. 113Chapter XXVI — How Women Are a Cause of the Ruin of States
  114. 114Chapter XXVII — How a Divided City May Be Reunited, and How It Is a…
  115. 115Chapter XXVIII — That a Republic Must Keep an Eye on What Its Citiz…
  116. 116Chapter XXIX — That the Faults of a People Are Due to Its Prince
  117. 117Chapter XXXI — That Strong Republics and Valiant Men Preserve Throu…
  118. 118Chapter XXXII — Of the Methods Which Some Have Used to Make Peace I…
  119. 119Chapter XXXIII — That to Insure Victory in Battle You Must Inspire…
  120. 120Chapter XXXIV — By What Reports, Rumours, or Surmises the Citizens…
  121. 121Chapter XXXV — Of the Danger Incurred in Being the First to Recomme…
  122. 122Chapter XXXVI — Why It Has Been and Still May Be Affirmed of the Ga…
  123. 123Chapter XXXVII — Whether a General Engagement Should Be Preceded by…
  124. 124Chapter XXXVIII — Of the Qualities of a Captain in Whom His Soldier…
  125. 125Chapter XXXIX — That a Captain Should Have Good Knowledge of Places
  126. 126Chapter XL — That Fraud Is Fair in War
  127. 127Chapter XLI — That Our Country Is to Be Defended by Honour or by Di…
  128. 128Chapter XLII — That Promises Made on Compulsion Are Not to Be Observed
  129. 129Chapter XLIII — That Men Born in the Same Province Retain Through A…
  130. 130Chapter XLIV — That Where Ordinary Methods Fail, Hardihood and Dari…
  131. 131Chapter XLV — Whether in Battle It Is Better to Await and Repel the…
  132. 132Chapter XLVI — How the Characteristics of Families Come to Be Perpe…
  133. 133Chapter XLVII — That Love of His Country Should Lead a Good Citizen…
  134. 134Chapter XLVIII — That on Finding an Enemy Make What Seems a Grave B…
  135. 135Chapter XLIX — That a Commonwealth to Preserve Its Freedom Has Cons…

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