Among other evils which being unarmed brings you, it causes you to be despised.

This line comes from Machiavelli’s political treatise written in the early 16th century, after the Medici returned to power in Florence (1512) and Machiavelli was dismissed, imprisoned, and then sidelined from public office. In The Prince (completed 1513), he distills lessons from Italian city-state politics and the era’s near-constant warfare, including the vulnerability of small states amid French, Spanish, and papal interventions. A recurring theme is that rulers who rely on others’ arms—mercenaries, auxiliaries, or foreign protectors—invite danger. The remark is part of his broader argument that a prince must secure his state through his own military capacity and readiness.

Machiavelli argues that lacking arms is not merely a practical weakness but a political and psychological one: it signals dependence, invites contempt, and erodes authority. “Despised” here points to a ruler’s loss of credibility among subjects, rivals, and allies alike; if you cannot defend yourself, others will treat your promises and threats as empty. The statement also reflects Machiavelli’s emphasis on appearances and reputation in power politics: strength must be visible to deter aggression. More broadly, the line encapsulates his realist view that security underwrites legitimacy—without the capacity to compel or resist force, a state’s autonomy and a leader’s standing quickly deteriorate.