Niccolò Machiavelli：The Prince, Excerpt 48

I wish also to recall to memory an instance from the Old Testament applicable to this subject. David offered himself to Saul to fight with Goliath, the Philistine champion, and, to give him courage, Saul armed him with his own weapons; which David rejected as soon as he had them on his back, saying he could make no use of them, and that he wished to meet the enemy with his sling and his knife. In conclusion, the arms of others either fall from your back, or they weigh you down, or they bind you fast.

Source： https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1232
Locator：Excerpt 48 · Verified：2026-10-19 · Verification：Short excerpt

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