Of the Different Types of Armies, and of Mercenaries

"A prince who holds a state that is founded on the strength of mercenary armies will never be firm or secure, since such armies are divided, ambitious, without discipline, and fickle-- brave in the face of friends, cowardly in the face of enemies"(Machiavelli 57).

I chose this passage because it is very specific to the fact that outside help in military operations should not be used. How one should not use outside/foreign men to get a job completed whether it is and internal problem (inside the state) or even large scale operations. Those mercenaries are only driven off of the fact that they are being paid a wage to get the job done. "The reason for this is that all that keeps mercenaries on the battlefield are the negligible wages you pay them, which are not sufficient to make them want to die for you"(Machiavelli 57). Mercenaries cannot be trusted, "... brave in the face of friends, cowardly in the face of enemies"(Machiavelli 57). It is pretty clear cut. He even uses an example of the states of Italy who used mercenaries, and how they have fell apart as a whole society. "As a result, King Charles of France was able to conquer Italy with a piece of chalk..." (Machiavelli 57).

1. Should a state never use mercenaries even when their own military is not suited for the fight?