The Switzers are completely armed and quite free.
 Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince (1532). copy citation

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Author Niccolò Machiavelli
Source The Prince
Topic freedom army
Date 1532
Language English
Reference
Note Translated by W. K. Marriott
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1232/1232-h/1232-h.htm

Context

“And experience has shown princes and republics, single-handed, making the greatest progress, and mercenaries doing nothing except damage; and it is more difficult to bring a republic, armed with its own arms, under the sway of one of its citizens than it is to bring one armed with foreign arms. Rome and Sparta stood for many ages armed and free. The Switzers are completely armed and quite free.
Of ancient mercenaries, for example, there are the Carthaginians, who were oppressed by their mercenary soldiers after the first war with the Romans, although the Carthaginians had their own citizens for captains.” source

Meaning and analysis

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