# CHAPTER 9 — The Causes that Commonly Provoke Wars Among the Powerful

The cause of the war that broke out between the Romans and the Samnites, who had long been allies, is a common one that arises among all powerful states. This cause either comes about by chance or is brought about by someone who wants to start a war. The war between the Romans and the Samnites arose by chance, for the intention of the Samnites in waging war against the Sidicini and then the Campanians was not to extend it to the Romans. But after the Campanians were conquered, contrary to the expectation of both the Romans and the Samnites, they ran to Rome for help, and after the Campanians had placed themselves under Roman protection, the Romans were forced to defend them as if defending themselves, and to engage in a war they felt they could not honourably avoid. Thus, it seemed reasonable to the Romans not to defend their friends the Campanians against their friends the Samnites, but it seemed shameful not to defend them as subjects or as people under their protection, since they thought that if they did not take up their defence, it would place an obstacle in the path of all those who might wish to place themselves under Roman power. Thus, valuing empire and glory over tranquillity, as its goal, Rome could not refuse this undertaking. This same cause gave rise to the First Punic War against the Carthaginians, when the Romans took up the defence of the people of Messina in Sicily; this was also by chance. But later the Second Punic War did not break out by chance, because Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, attacked the Saguntines, the allies of the Romans in Spain, not in order to harm the Saguntines but, instead, by provoking the Roman armies, to have the opportunity to do battle with them and to pass over into Italy. This method of starting new wars has always been customary among the powerful who hold in respect their word of honour and other such agreements. Thus, if I wish to wage war with a prince and between us there are firm pacts which have been observed over a lengthy period of time, I will attack one of his friends with another justification or another excuse, rather than attacking him, knowing full well that if I attack his friend he will either resent it, and I shall fulfill my intention of waging war upon him, or by not resenting it, he will reveal his weakness or lack of faith by not defending someone under his protection. And either of these two things is sufficient to lessen his prestige and to make my plans easier to carry out. With respect to starting wars, the submission of the Campanians must therefore be noted as was mentioned above; moreover, one should also note the remedy a city has when it cannot defend itself and wishes to defend itself in any way possible from anyone who attacks it. That remedy is to give yourself voluntarily to anyone whom you wish to defend you, as the inhabitants of Capua * did with the Romans or the Florentines did with King Robert of Naples, who, although he did not want to protect them as allies, later defended them as subjects against the forces of Castruccio of Lucca who was attacking them. *