Discourses on Livy · Chapter
That it is a great reproach to a prince or to a commonwealth to be without a national army explained
Machiavelli argues that a prince or republic lacking its own national army is a grave reproach, using the example of King Tullus of Rome who, after forty years of peace, successfully trained his own citizens into soldiers rather than hiring
What happens
Machiavelli argues that a prince or republic lacking its own national army is a grave reproach, using the example of King Tullus of Rome who, after forty years of peace, successfully trained his own citizens into soldiers rather than hiring foreign mercenaries. He cites the recent invasion of France by the King of England with a native army after thirty years of peace, and the Theban captains Pelopidas and Epaminondas who armed their formerly servile city to defeat Sparta, concluding that capable leaders can make soldiers out of any men.
Themes in this chapter
Leadership and Moral Character
The chapter emphasizes that a prudent ruler like Tullus can transform a peaceful populace into effective soldiers through skill and determination, highlighting the importance of leadership in military readiness.
Necessity and Reason of State
Machiavelli argues that relying on one's own national army is a necessity for a prince or republic, and that failure to do so is a fault of the ruler, not of the people or circumstances.
Characters to notice
- Tullus Hostilius
Roman king who succeeded after forty years of peace and raised a national army from his own subjects, demonstrating that a ruler's skill can create good soldiers.
- King Louis XII
Referenced indirectly as the King of England's opponent; the English king invaded his realm with a native army.
- Pelopidas
Theban captain who, with Epaminondas, freed Thebes and trained its people to defeat the Spartans, showing that warriors can be made anywhere.
- Epaminondas
Theban captain who, with Pelopidas, armed the Thebans and led them to victory over Sparta, proving that leadership can create soldiers from any populace.
Key passages
“For nothing is more true than that where a country, having men, lacks soldiers, it results from some fault in its ruler, and not from any defect in the situation or climate.”
If a nation has people but no soldiers, the blame lies entirely with the ruler, not with the environment or circumstances.
Machiavelli asserts that military weakness is a failure of leadership, not of natural conditions.
“And he who relates this, observes, that these two captains very soon showed that warriors are not bred in Lacedaemon alone, but in every country where men are found, if only some one arise among them who knows how to direct them to arms; as we see Tullus knew how to direct the Romans.”
The historian notes that Pelopidas and Epaminondas proved that good soldiers can come from any nation, provided a leader arises who can train them for war, just as Tullus did with the Romans.
Machiavelli uses the Theban example to reinforce the idea that military capability depends on leadership, not geography or tradition.