... examples of all these methods in the histories of the Spartansand the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes by creating olig-archies in these cities, yet lost them in the end. The Romans, ... subject, we mustlook whether these innovators can stand alone, or whether they dependfor aid upon others; in other words, whether to carry out their ends they19 The Prince Machiavelli, Niccolò(Translator: ... make him their Prince, to the end that under his shadow they may be enabled to indulge their de-sires. The people, on the other hand, when they see that they cannotmake head against the nobles,...