Having carefully considered the subject of the above discourses, and wondering within myself whether the present times were propitious to a new prince, and whether there were elements that would give an opportunity to a wise and virtuous one to introduce a new order of things which would do honour to him and good to the people of this country, it appears to me that so many things concur to favour a new prince that I never knew a time more fit than the present.
Considerato, adunque, tutte le cose di sopra discorse, e pensando meco medesimo se, in Italia al presente, correvano tempi da onorare uno nuovo principe, e se ci era materia che dessi occasione a uno prudente e virtuoso di introdurvi forma che facessi onore a lui e bene alla università delli uomini di quella, mi pare corrino tante cose in benefizio d’uno principe nuovo, che io non so qual mai tempo fussi più atto a questo.