Machiavelli On The Dangers Of Remaining Political Neutral

I read a brief excerpt from Machiavelli's "The Prince" in which reasons are discussed as to why remaining politically neutral is not always the safest choice.

From "The Prince," by Niccolo Machiavelli, Translated by W.K. Marriott

"A prince is also respected when he is either a
true friend or a downright enemy, that to say,
when, without any reservation, he declares himself
in favour of one party against the other; which
course will always be more advantageous than
standing neutral; because if two of your powerful
neighbours come to blows, they are of such a
character that, if one of them conquers, you have
either to fear him or not. In either case it will
always be more advantageous for you to declare
yourself and to make war strenuously; because, in
the first case, if you do not declare yourself, you
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will invariably fall a prey to the conqueror, to the
pleasure and satisfaction of him who has been
conquered, and you will have no reasons to offer,
nor anything to protect or to shelter you. Because
he who conquers does not want doubtful friends
who will not aid him in the time of trial; and he
who loses will not harbour you because you did
not willingly, sword in hand, court his fate.
Antiochus went into Greece, being sent for by
the Aetolians to drive out the Romans. He sent
envoys to the Achaeans, who were friends of the
Romans, exhorting them to remain neutral; and on
the other hand the Romans urged them to take up
arms. This question came to be discussed in the
council of the Achaeans, where the legate of
Antiochus urged them to stand neutral. To this the
Roman legate answered: "As for that which has
been said, that it is better and more advantageous
for your state not to interfere in our war, nothing
can be more erroneous; because by not interfering
you will be left, without favour or consideration,
the guerdon of the conqueror." Thus it will always
happen that he who is not your friend will demand
your neutrality, whilst he who is your friend will
entreat you to declare yourself with arms. And
irresolute princes, to avoid present dangers,
generally follow the neutral path, and are generally
ruined. But when a prince declares himself
gallantly in favour of one side, if the party with
whom he allies himself conquers, although the
victor may be powerful and may have him at his
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mercy, yet he is indebted to him, and there is
established a bond of amity; and men are never so
shameless as to become a monument of ingratitude
by oppressing you. Victories after all are never so
complete that the victor must not show some
regard, especially to justice. But if he with whom
you ally yourself loses, you may be sheltered by
him, and whilst he is able he may aid you, and you
become companions in a fortune that may rise
again.
In the second case, when those who fight are of
such a character that you have no anxiety as to who
may conquer, so much the more is it greater
prudence to be allied, because you assist at the
destruction of one by the aid of another who, if he
had been wise, would have saved him; and
conquering, as it is impossible that he should not
with your assistance, he remains at your discretion.
And here it is to be noted that a prince ought to
take care never to make an alliance with one more
powerful than himself for the purpose of attacking
others, unless necessity compels him, as is said
above; because if he conquers you are at his
discretion, and princes ought to avoid as much as
possible being at the discretion of any one. The
Venetians joined with France against the Duke of
Milan, and this alliance, which caused their ruin,
could have been avoided. But when it cannot be
avoided, as happened to the Florentines when the
Pope and Spain sent armies to attack Lombardy,
then in such a case, for the above reasons, the
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prince ought to favour one of the parties.
Never let any Government imagine that it can
choose perfectly safe courses; rather let it expect to
have to take very doubtful ones, because it is found
in ordinary affairs that one never seeks to avoid
one trouble without running into another; but
prudence consists in knowing how to distinguish
the character of troubles, and for choice to take the
lesser evil."