The prince important quotes
"For I wanted it either not to be honored for anything or to please solely for the variety of the matter and the gravity of the subject. Nor do I want it to be reputed presumption if a man from a low and mean state dares to discuss and give rules for the governments of princes. For just as those who sketch landscapes place themselves down in the plain to consider the nature of mountains and high places and to consider the nature of low places place themselves high atop mountains, similarly, to know well the nature of peoples one needs to be prince, and to know well the nature of princes one needs to be of the people." (L)
The Price- by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Meredici context- Machiavelli writes the dedicatory letter to Lorenzo Meredici offering him help through the science of ruling or philosophy. The Meredici family overthrew the republic in 1512 and Machiavelli was imprisoned, tortured, and exiled. This text is a gift to Lorenzo de Meredici. quote directly- The quote speaks to the relationship between the people are the ruler. The people experience the consequences of the rule and the ruler has to know the people to rule justly. quote explanation- Machiavelli claims both perspectives, of the ruler and the ruled. The aim of politics is to relieve the human condition, therefore the ruler has to know how the people are living in order to lead them.
"What makes him hated above all, as I said, is to be rapacious and da usurper of the property and the women of his subjects. From these he must abstain, and whenever one does not take away either property to honor from the generality of men, they live content andterm-26 one has only to combat the ambition of the few which may be checked in many modes with ease" (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- A prince needs to avoid being hated at all costs. Quote Explanation- Even though it is better to be feared, a prince needs to be careful not to induce too much hatred. Being regarded highly by the people will protect the king.
"He who comes to the principality with the aid of the great maintains himself with more difficulty than one who becomes prince with the aid of the people, because the former finds himself prince with many around him who appear to be his equals, and because of this he can neither command them nor manage them to suit himself. But he who arrives in the principality with popular support finds himself alone there, and around him has either no one or very few who are not ready to obey. Besides this, one cannot satisfy the great with decency and without injury to others, but one can satisfy the people; for the end of the people is more decent than that of the great, since the great want to oppress and the people want not to be oppressed. Furthermore, a prince can never secure himself against a hostile people, as they are too many; against the great, he can secure himself as they are few." (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- A principality can be created either through the nobles or the people. Quote Explanation- When the people place the prince in power, the prince has the most opportunities for success because he is above them. If the nobles place the prince in power, he is among people who see him as an equal and not the sole leader. The people usually only want to be free, so they are much easier to rule, whereas the nobles have deeper motives because they want to control the people below them. Themes- Rulers must serve the interests of the people and not oppress ordinary subjects.
"It is not unknown to me that many have held and hold the opinion that worldly things are so governed by fortune and by God, that men cannot correct them with their prudence, indeed that they have no remedy at all; and on account of this they might judge that one need not sweat much over things but let oneself be governed by chance. This opinion has been believed more in our times because of the great variability of things which have been seen and are seen every day, beyond every human conjecture. When I have though about this sometimes, I have been in some part inclined to their opinion. Nonetheless, so that our free will not be eliminated, I judge that it might be true that fortune is arbiter of half of our actions, but also that she leaves the other half, or close to it, for us to govern. And I liken her to one of these violent rivers which, when they become enraged, flood the plains, ruin the trees and the buildings, lift Earth from this part, drop in another; each person flees before them, everyone yields to their impetus without being able to hinder them in any regard. And although they are like this, it isnt to as if men, when times are quiet, could not provide for them with dikes and dames so that when they rise later, either they go by a canal or their impetus is neither so wanton nor so damaging. It happens similarly with fortune, which demonstrates her power where virtue has not been in in order or resist her and therefore tuns her impetus where she knows that dams and dikes have not been made to contain her. And if you consider Italy, which is the seat of these variations and that which has given them motion, you will see a country without dams and without any dike. If it had been diked by suitable virtue, like Germany, Spain, and France, either this flood would not have brought the great variations that is has or it would not have come here." (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Fortune plays a role in human affairs, but how much of a role does it actually play? Machiavelli implies that fortune accounts for about half of what one does, but free will determines the other half. Quote Explanation- Fortune is compared to a flooding river. If it is prepared for, with dykes for example, then one can gain benefits from it. Themes- limits on what humans can accomplish
"I conclude, thus, that when fortune varies and men remain obstinate in their modes, men are happy while they are in accord, and as they come into discord, unhappy. I judge this indeed, that it is better to be impetuous that cautious, because fortune is a woman; and it is necessary, if one wants to hold her down, to beat her and strike her down. And oen sees that she lets herself be won more by the impetuous than by those who proceed coldly. And so always, like a woman, she is the friend of the young, because they are less cautious, more ferocious, and command her with more audacity." (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Fortune plays a role in human affairs, but how much of a role does it actually play? Machiavelli implies that fortune accounts for about half of what one does, but free will determines the other half. Quote Explanation- Fortune is compared to a women. She is unpredictable and hard to control, but she presents opportunities that founders can seize. Themes- limits to what humans can accomplish, what is done with the opportunity is important
"Beginning, then, with the first of the above-mentioned qualities, I say that it would be good to be held liberal; nonetheless, liberality, when used so that you may be held liberal, hurts you. For if it is used virtuously and as it should be used, it may not be recognized, and you will not escape the infamy of its contrary. And so, if one wants to maintain a name for liberality among men, it is necessary not to leave out any kind of lavish display, so that a prince who has done this will always consume all his resources in such deeds. In the end, it will be necessary, if he wants to maintain a name from liberality, to burden the people extraordinarily, to be rigorous with taxes, and to do all those things that can be done to get money. This will begin to make him hated by his subjects, an little esteemed by anyone as he becomes poor;" (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Liberality or generosity is a self-less quality that is normally praised by the people. If a prince becomes too generous, it can lead to ruin. Quote Explanation- Being very generous requires a degree of lavishness that can ultimately deplete all of the resources that the prince has, which would cause them to have to tax the people to be able to keep up this generosity. Themes- Overall, cheapness allows the ruler to gain support of the people. It allows for lower taxes and leaves the prince more money to afford military resources.
This, since a Prince cannot, without damage to himself, use the virtue of liberality so that it is recognized, he should not, if he is prudent, care about a name for meanness. For with time he will always be held more and more liberal when it is seen that with his parsimony his income is enough for him, that he can defend himself from whoever makes war on him, and that he can undertake campaigns without burdening the people;" (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Liberality or generosity is a self-less quality that is normally praised by the people. If a prince becomes too generous, it can lead to ruin. Quote Explanation- Being very generous requires a degree of lavishness that can ultimately deplete all of the resources that the prince has, which would cause them to have to tax the people to be able to keep up this generosity. Themes- Overall, cheapness allows the ruler to gain support of the people. It allows for lower taxes and leaves the prince more money to afford military resources.
"Thus, it is not necessary for a prince to have all the above-mentioned qualities in fact, but it is indeed necessary to appear to have them. Nay, I dare say this, that by having them and always observing them, they are harmful; and but appearing to have them, they are useful, as it is to appear merciful, faithful, humane, honest, and religious, and to be so; but to remain with a spirit built so that, if you need not to be those things, you are able and know how to change to the contrary. This has to be understood that a prince, and especially a new prince, cannot observe all those things for which men and held good, since he is often under a necessity against humanity, against religion. And so he needs to have a spirit disposed to change as the winds of fortune and variation of things command him, and as I said above, not depart from good, when possible, but know how to enter into evil, when forced by necessity." (L&D)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Machiavelli advices that the prince pay close attention to his reputation. No matter who he actually is on the inside, it is important to appear a certain way to the people. It is better not to depart from virtues when it is possible because it is beneficial when these are held good by the people. Quote Explanation- It is nearly impossible for a prince to obtain all desirable qualities, not should he want to. As long as he appears to have these qualities, he will gain respect from men. If a prince seems like he is virtuous, having mercy, faith, humanity, honesty, and religion, then it will be much easier for him to have the support of the people. Themes- prince must be a master of deception, impossible for prince to have all virtues, rhetoric of deception that a prince must learn.
"Men in general, judge more by their eyes than by their hands, because seeing is given to everyone, touching to few. Everyone sees how you appear, if you touch what you are; And these few dare not to oppose the opinion of many, who have the Majesty of the state to defend them; And in the actions of all men, and especially of Princess, where there is no court to appeal to, one looks to the end. So let a Prince win and maintain his states; The means will always be judged honorable, and will be praised by everyone. For the vulgar are taken in by the appearance and the outcome of a thing, and in the world there is no one but the vulgar; The few have a place there when the many have somewhere to lean on." (L&D)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Machiavelli advices that the prince pay close attention to his reputation. No matter who he actually is on the inside, it is important to appear a certain way to the people. It is better not to depart from virtues when it is possible because it is beneficial when these are held good by the people. Even though only the vulgar judge by their eyes, appearance is important because everyone is vulgar. Quote Explanation- It is nearly impossible for a prince to obtain all desirable qualities, not should he want to. As long as he appears to have these qualities, he will gain respect from men. If a prince seems like he is virtuous, having mercy, faith, humanity, honesty, and religion, then it will be much easier for him to have the support of the people. Themes- prince must be a master of deception, impossible for prince to have all virtues, rhetoric of deception that a prince must learn, appearance vs reality
"And I know that everyone will confess that it would be a very praiseworthy thing to find in a Prince all of the above mentioned qualities that are held good. But because he cannot have them, nor wholly observe them, since human conditions do not permit it, it is necessary for him to be so prudent as to know how to avoid the infamy of those vices that would take his state from him and to be on guard against those that do not, if that is possible; But if one cannot. One can let them go on with less hesitation. And furthermore, one should not care about incurring the fame of those vices without which it was difficult to save one's state; for if one considers everything well, one will find something appears to be virtue, which if pursued would be one's ruin, and something else appears to be vice, wich if pursued results in one's security and well-being." (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Machiavelli begins to speak about the correct behavior of a prince. There are traits that make a prince stand out, but it is unrealistic to say that he will always live by those traits because he is still human. Quote Explanation- A prince needs to focus on achieving the outcome they desire, rather than living morally a perfect life. Machiavelli wishes to teach the ruler that they will have to get their hands dirty. The world that they live in is initially bad because of the nature of human beings. The need to prioritize keeping the state, no matter how they do that. Themes- The effectual truth is the concept that princes who follow virtue may lose their power, but those who follow vice can preserve their power. The concept breaks political traditions about how men should actually live. The bad traits seem to be justified if they are used for the overall benefit of the principality. Concern for reputation and public support is valid, but it needs to be reasonable.
"It remains now to see what the modes and government of a prince should be with subjects and with friends. And because I know that many have written of this, I fear that in writing of it again, I may be held presumptuous, especially since in disputing this matter I depart from the orders of whoever understand it, it has appeared to me more fitting to go directly to the effectual truth of the thing than to the imagination of it. And many have imagined republics and principalities that have never been seen or known to exist in truth; for it is so far from how one lives to how one should live that he who lets go of what is done for what should be done learns his ruin rather than his preservation. For a man who wants to make a profession of good in all regards must come to ruin among so many who are not good. Hence it is necessary to a prince, if he wants to maintain himself, to learn to be able not to be good, and to use this and not use it according to necessity." (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Machiavelli begins to speak about the correct behavior of a prince. There are traits that make a prince stand out, but it is unrealistic to say that he will always live by those traits because he is still human. Quote Explanation- A prince needs to focus on achieving the outcome they desire, rather than living morally a perfect life. Machiavelli wishes to teach the ruler that they will have to get their hands dirty. The world that they live in is initially bad because of the nature of human beings. The need to prioritize keeping the state, no matter how they do that. Themes- The effectual truth is the concept that princes who follow virtue may lose their power, but those who follow vice can preserve their power. The concept breaks political traditions about how men should actually live. The bad traits seem to be justified if they are used for the overall benefit of the principality. Concern for reputation and public support is valid, but it needs to be reasonable. (Ideal vs real, what is done vs what is ought to be done)
"From this a dispute arises whether it is better to be loved than feared, or the reverse. The response is that one would want to be both the one and the other; but because it is difficult to put them together, it is much safer to be feared than loved, if one has to lack one of the two. For one can say this generally of men: that they are ungrateful, fickle, pretenders and dissembles, evaders of danger, eager for gain. While you do them good, they are yours, offering their blood, property, lives, and children, as I said above, when the need for them is far away; but, when it is close to you, they revolt. And that prince who has founded himself entirely on their words, stripped of other preparation, is ruined." (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Machiavelli considers whether it is better to be feared or loved as a ruler. Ideally, a prince should be both feared and loved, but if they need to choose, it is better to be feared than loved. Quote Explanation- Men are inherently bad by nature. They say they will defend the prince, but when the opportunity presents itself, then they may turn against him. Love is not strong enough for a prince to depend on it and it leans too much on the perspective of the people and their ability to recognize and commend the ruler on morality, but fear will always be effective. Themes- Better to be feared than loved, men can not be trusted
"I conclude, then, returning to being feared and loved, that since men love at their convenience and fear at the convenience of the prince, a wise prince should found himself on what is his, not on what is someone else's; he should only contrive to aboid hatred, as was said." (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Machiavelli considers whether it is better to be feared or loved as a ruler. Ideally, a prince should be both feared and loved, but if they need to choose, it is better to be feared than loved. Quote Explanation- Men are inherently bad by nature. They say they will defend the prince, but when the opportunity presents itself, then they may turn against him. Love is not strong enough for a prince to depend on it and it leans too much on the perspective of the people and their ability to recognize and commend the ruler on morality, but fear will always be effective. Themes- Better to be feared than loved, men can not be trusted
"The prince should nonetheless make himself feared in such a mode that if he does not acquire love, he escapes hatred, because being feared and not being hated can go together very well. This he will always do if he abstains from the property of his citiens and his subjects, and from their women; and if he also needs to proceed against someone's life, he must do it when there is suitable justification and manifest cause for it. But above all, he must abstain from the property of others, because men forget the death of a father more quickly than the loss of a patrimony." (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Machiavelli considers whether it is better to be feared or loved as a ruler. Ideally, a prince should be both feared and loved, but if they need to choose, it is better to be feared than loved. Quote Explanation- Even though it is better to be feared, a prince needs to be careful not to induce too much hatred. It is possible to be feared without being hated. A prince should stay away from the property and families of his' subjects. Themes- Better to be feared than loved, men can not be trusted
"Descending next to the other qualities cited before, I say that each prince should desire to be held merciful and not cruel; nonetheless he should take care not to use this mercy badly. Cesare Borgia was held to be cruel; nonetheless his cruelty restored the Romagna, united it, and reduced it to peace and to faith. If one considers this well, one will see that he was much more merciful than the Florentine people, was so as to escape a name for cruelty, allowed Pistoia to be destroyed. A prince, therefore, so as to keep his subjects united and faithful, should not care about the infamy of cruelty, because with very few examples he will be more merciful than those who for the sake of too much mercy allow disorder to continue, from which come killings or robberies, for these customarily hurt a whole community, but the executions that come from the prince hurt one particular person." (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- The quality of mercy in a prince should be showed sparingly. Although it is an overall good quality, the people can take advantage of a prince's mercy. Quote Explanation- Cruelty can sometimes lead to success, although prince should aim to still be merciful. Mercy can not be exchanged for chaos. Appropriate doses of cruelty allow kings to maintain their state. Themes- Learning not to be good, realism (rulers can not follow moral norms because it will lead to their destruction), cruel mercy vs merciful cruelty (merciful cruelty is better)
"Thus, you must know that there are two kinds of combat: one with laws, the other with force. The first is proper to man, the second is to beasts; but because the first is often not enough, one must have recourse to the second. Therefore it is necessary for a prince to know well how to use the beast and the man. This role was taught covertly to princes bt ancient writers, who wrote the Achilles, and many other ancient princes, were given to Chiron the centaur to be raised, so that he would look after them with his discipline. To have as teacher a half-beast, half-man means nothing other than that a prince needs to know how to use both natures: and the one without the other is not lasting" (D&L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- There are two ways to fight, by using laws and by using force. Men naturally use laws and beasts use force. Quote Explanation- A prince must know how to use both laws and force in order to fight. The laws need to be backed by force. Themes- half human/ half beast
"Thus, since a prince is compelled of necessity to know well how to use the beast, he should pick the fox and the lion, because the lion does not defend itself from wolves. So one needs to be a fox to recognize snares and a lion to frighten the wolves. Those who stay simply with the lion do not understand this." (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- There are two ways to fight, by using laws and by using force. Men naturally use laws and beasts use force. Quote Explanation- A prince must know how to use both laws and force in order to fight. The laws need to be backed by force. By using force, a prince acts like a beast. Two types of beasts are necessary for the prince: a fox and a lion. For foxes, they are defenseless against wolves, but for lions, they are defenseless against traps. When a prince learns to act as both a fox and a lion, he can identify traps and also defend himself. Themes- half human/ half beast, prince must be a master of deception, prince can not trust promises all the time
"Agathocles the Sicilian became king of Syracuse not only from private fortune but from a mean and abject one. Born of a potter, he always kept to a life of crime at every rank of his career; nonetheless, his crimes were accompanied with such virtue of spirit and body that when he turned to the military, he rose through its ranks to become praetor of Syracuse. After he was established in that rank, he decided to become prince and to hold with violence and without obligation to anyone else that which had been conceded to him by agreement. Having given intelligence of his plan to Hamilcar the Carthaginian, who was with his armies fighting in Sicily, one morning he assembled the people and Senate of Syracuse as if he had to decide things pertinent to the republic. At a signal he had ordered, he had all the senators and the richest of the people killed by his soldiers. Once they were dead, he seized and held the principate of that city without any civil controversy." (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Agathocles, who lived a life of crime, gained significant power and became a king. He was just a normal citizen who gained status in the army. He put together a meeting of the senate where he commanded his men to kill all of the senators, leaving himself in power. Quote Explanation- When Agathocles came into power, he used a lot of force and violence to achieve what he desired. He came into power through great crime. Although he was able to maintain his power, he overused cruelty, which prevented him from becoming a great ruler. He did not need to use violence to destroy a republic because there was not real cause for it. Themes- The difference between power and glory is that a founder can achieve glory when he founds a patriotic people and does not use violence when it is not necessary. Agathocles unnecessary and continuous use of cruelty prevented him from being glorious. Rulers have the responsibility of minimizing cruelty. Agathocles' means can be praised because he got what he wanted, but his character can not be. If a prince uses cruelty once to gain the state, and then sparingly after, then the people may come to appreciate this action. The ruler needs to be consistent in the way the subjects are treated.
"Thus, whoever might consider the actions and virtue of this man will see nothing or little that can be attributed to fortune. For as was said above, not through anyone's support but through the ranks of the military, which he had gained for himself with a thousand hardships and dangers, he came to the principate and afterwards he maintained it with many spirited and dangerous policies. Yet one cannot call it virtue to kill one's citizens, betray one's friends, to be without faith, without mercy, without religion; these modes can enable one to acquire empire, but not glory. For if one considers the virtue of Agathocles in entering into and escaping from dangers, and the greatness of his spirit in enduring and overcoming adversities, one does not see why he has to be judged inferior to any most excellent captain. Nonetheless, his savage cruelty and inhumanity, together with his infinite crimes, do not permit him to be celebrated among the most excellent men."
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Agathocles, who lived a life of crime, gained significant power and became a king. He was just a normal citizen who gained status in the army. He put together a meeting of the senate where he commanded his men to kill all of the senators, leaving himself in power. Quote Explanation- When Agathocles came into power, he used a lot of force and violence to achieve what he desired. He came into power through great crime. Although he was able to maintain his power, he overused cruelty, which prevented him from becoming a great ruler. He did not need to use violence to destroy a republic because there was not real cause for it. Themes- The difference between power and glory is that a founder can achieve glory when he founds a patriotic people and does not use violence when it is not necessary. Agathocles unnecessary and continuous use of cruelty prevented him from being glorious. Rulers have the responsibility of minimizing cruelty. Agathocles' means can be praised because he got what he wanted, but his character can not be.If a prince uses cruelty once to gain the state, and then sparingly after, then the people may come to appreciate this action. The ruler needs to be consistent in the way the subjects are treated.
"Someone could question how it happened that Agathocles and anyone like him, after infinite betrayals and cruelties, could live for a long time secure in his fatherland, defend himself against external enemies, and never be conspired against by his citizens, inasmuch as many others have not been able to maintain their states through cruelty even in peaceful times, not to mention uncertain times of war. I believe that this comes from cruelties badly used or well used. Those can be called well used (if it is permissible to speak well of evil) that are done at a stroke, out of the necessity to secure oneself, and then are not persisted in but are turned to as much utility for the subjects as one can. Those cruelties are badly used which, though few in the beginning, rather grow with time than are eliminated. Those who observe the first mode can have some remedy for their state with God and with men, as had Agathocles; as for the others it is impossible for them to maintain themselves." (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Agathocles, who lived a life of crime, gained significant power and became a king. He was just a normal citizen who gained status in the army. He put together a meeting of the senate where he commanded his men to kill all of the senators, leaving himself in power. Quote Explanation- When Agathocles came into power, he used a lot of force and violence to achieve what he desired. He came into power through great crime. Although he was able to maintain his power, he overused cruelty, which prevented him from becoming a great ruler. He did not need to use violence to destroy a republic because there was not real cause for it. Themes- The difference between power and glory is that a founder can achieve glory when he founds a patriotic people and does not use violence when it is not necessary. Agathocles unnecessary and continuous use of cruelty prevented him from being glorious. Rulers have the responsibility of minimizing cruelty. Agathocles' means can be praised because he got what he wanted, but his character can not be. If a prince uses cruelty once to gain the state, and then sparingly after, then the people may come to appreciate this action. The ruler needs to be consistent in the way the subjects are treated.
"For in every city these two diverse humors are found, which arises from this: that the people desire neither to be commanded nor oppressed by the great, and the great desire to command and oppress the people." (L)
The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Machiavelli considers the different way that princes can come to power and the difference between what the people want versus what the great want.
"And because this point is deserving of notice and of being imitated by others, I do not want to leave it out. Once the duke had taken over Romagna, he found it had been commanded by impotent lords who had been readier to despoil their subjects than to correct them, and had give their subjects matter for disunion, no for union. Since that province was quite full of robberies, quarrels, and every other kind of insolence, he judged it necessary to give it good government, if he wanted to reduce it to peace and obedience to a kingly arm. So he put there Messer Remirro de Orco, a cruel and ready man, to whom he gave the fullest power. In a short time Remirro reduced it to peace and unity, with the very greatest reputation for himself. Then the duke judged that such excessive authority was necessary, because he reared that it might become hateful; and he set up a civil court in the middle of the province, with a most excellent president, where each city had its advocate. And because he knew that past rigors had generated some hatred for Remirro, to purge the spirits of that people and to gain them entirely to himself, he wished to show that if any cruelty had been committed, this had not come from him but from the harsh nature of his minister. And having seized this opportunity, he had him placed on morning in the piazza at Cesena in two pieces, with a piece of wood and a bloody knife beside him. The ferocity of this spectacle left the people at once satisfied and stupefied." (L)
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Here Machiavelli mentions Cesare Borgia, who was the son of the pope Alexander 6th. Borgia was supposed to be a honorable, brave man, but he failed to remain in power and rule. Borgia recruited Remirro de Orco, a harsh man, to help him. Quote explanation- When Borgia perceived that de Orco was gaining some hatred, he decides to set up a civil court to avoid being hated. To show that he was truly not responsible, Borgia kills Remirro de Orco, who he had initially enlisted. Doing this, he cruelly and unjustly took any blame off of himself. Themes- Borgia did what he thought was best for the many, he led with order even though he was cruel and took out who he needed to to get there. When the question of whether it is better to be feared or loved in play, Machiavelli mentions that it is better to be both, but if only one is possible, then it is better to be feared. Machiavelli seems to condone Borgia's behavior because although he was cruel, he still led with order.
"when one ascends to a principality by some criminal and nefarious path" (L)
The prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici
"And truly it is a very natural and ordinary thing to desire to acquire, and always, when men do it who can, they will be praised or not blamed; but when they cannot and wish to do it anyway, here lie the error and the blame." (L)
The prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Machiavelli speaks the natural nature of humans to want to gain more land. Princes should always be searching for ways to expand and better their territories. quote explanation- It can be risky for a prince to take over a new territory and it usually causes problems. Successfully gaining the land is a means for a ruler to gain praise. This quote speaks to the theme of human nature. Most humans will tolerate when rulers fight for more power because all humans have the natural desire for more power and therefore would act similarly if put in the same situation. The prince needs to gage whether or not the goal is obtainable before taking it on. themes- Military power needs to be accessed before a price makes a decision. If the military is not strong enough the ruler can be putting themselves and their people in great danger.
"I say, then, that in altogether new principalities, where there is a new prince, one encounters more or less difficulty in maintaining them according to whether the one who acquires them is more or less virtuous. And because the result of becoming prince from private individual presupposes either virtue or fortune, it appears that one or the other of these two things relieves in part many difficulties; nonetheless, he who has relied less on fortune has maintained himself more. To have the prince compelled to come to live there in person, because he has no other states, makes it still easier. But, to come to those who have become princes by their own virtue and not by fortune, I say that the most excellent are Moses, Cyrus, Romulus, Theseus, and the like. And although one should not reason about Moses, as he was a mere executor of things that had been ordered for him by God, nonetheless he should be admired if only for that grace which made him deserving of speaking with God. But let us consider Cyrus and the others who have acquired or founded kingdoms: you will find them all admirable; and if their particular actions and orders are considered, they will appear no different from those of Moses, who had so great a teacher. And as one examines their actions and lives, one does not see that they had anything else from fortune than the opportunity, which gave them the matter enabling them to introduce any form they pleased. Without that opportunity their virtue of spirit would have been eliminated, and without that virtue the opportunity would have come in vain. It was necessary then for Moses to find the people of Israel in Egypt, enslaved and oppressed by the Egyptians, so that they would be disposed to follow him so as to get out of their servitude. It was fitting that Romulus not be received in Alba, that he should have been exposed at birth, if he was to become king of Rome and founder of that fatherland. Cyrus needed to find the Persians malcontent with the empire of the Medes, and the Medes soft and effeminate because of a long peace. Theseus could not have demonstrated his virtue if he had not found the Athenians dispersed. Such opportunities, therefore, made these men happy, and their excellent virtue enabled the opportunity to be recognized; hence their fatherlands were ennobled by it and became very happy." (L)
The prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli dedicated to Lorenzo de Meredici context- Machiavelli gives examples of past rulers that should serve as examples. quote explanation- Machiavelli suggests that Meredici should imitate Moses, Cyrus, Romulus, and Theseus These men were founders of a state or a fatherland. Moses, from Exodus in the bible, had an opportunity given to him by fortune to save the Israelites from slavery and he used it to found a fatherland. Cyrus, Romulus, Thesias founded the Persian, Roman, and Athenian empire respectively. Founding a 'patria' or fatherland is one of the most supreme political acts. Themes- Acquiring and maintaining power is not easy to do. Therefore, the past example of those who were able to do it, should be followed. The opportunity to do this is given to these rulers by fortune. Success is reached when virtue and opportunity are put together.
