CHAPTER XXII - CONCERNING THE SECRETARIES OF PRINCES

THE choice of servants is of no little importance to a prince, and
they are good or not according to the discrimination of the prince.
And the first opinion which one forms of a prince, and of his
understanding, is by observing the men he has around him; and when
they are capable and faithful he may always be considered wise,
because he has known how to recognize the capable and to keep them
faithful. But when they are otherwise one cannot form a good opinion
of him, for the prime error which he made was in choosing them.

There were none who knew Messer Antonio da Venafro as the servant of
Pandolfo Petrucci, Prince of Siena, who would not consider Pandolfo to
be a very clever man in having Venafro for his servant. Because
there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by
itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a
third which neither comprehends by itself nor by the showing of
others; the first is the most excellent, the second is good, the third
is useless. Therefore, it follows necessarily that, if Pandolfo was
not in the first rank, he was in the second, for whenever one has
judgment to know good or bad when it is said and done, although he
himself may not have the initiative, yet he can recognize the good and
the bad in his servant, and the one he can praise and the other
correct; thus the servant cannot hope to deceive him, and is kept
honest.

But to enable a prince to form an opinion of his servant there is
one test which never falls; when you see the servant thinking more
of his own interests than of yours, and seeking inwardly his own
profit in everything, such a man will never make a good servant, nor
will you ever be able to trust him; because he who has the state of
another in his hands ought never to think of himself, but always of
his prince, and never pay any attention to matters in which the prince
is not concerned.

On the other to keep his servant honest the prince ought to study
him, honouring him, enriching him, doing him kindnesses, sharing
with him the honours and cares; and at the same time let him see
that he cannot stand alone, so that many honours not make him desire
more, many riches make him wish for more, and that many cares may make
him dread changes. When, therefore, servants, and princes towards
servants, are thus disposed, they can trust each other, but when it is
otherwise, the end will always be disastrous for either one or the
other.

