This atrocity, according to Machiavelli's creed, would have been justified, if Oliverotto had combined cruelty and subtlety in proper proportions.

But his savagery was not sufficiently veiled; a prince should never incur odium by crimes of violence, but only use them as the means of inspiring terror.

Besides, Oliverotto was so simple as to fall at last into the snare of Cesare Borgia at Sinigaglia.

Cesare himself supplies Machiavelli with a notable example of the way in which cruelty can be well used.

Having found the cities of Romagna in great disorder, Cesare determined to quell them by the ferocity of a terrible governor.