The Prince Reading

Excerpts from The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli, 1513
Pt. I: Concerning Military Control and Supremacy

The Prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war and
its rules and discipline; for this is the sole art that belongs to him who rules, and it is of such force that
it not only upholds those who are born princes, but it often enables men to rise from a private station
to that rank. And, on the contrary, it is seen that when princes have thought more of ease than of
arms they have lost their states. And the first cause of your losing it is to neglect this art; and what
enables you to acquire a state is to be master of the art. Francesco Sforza, though being martial, from
a private person became Duke of Milan; and the sons, through avoiding the hardships and troubles of
arms, from dukes became private persons. For among other evils which being unarmed brings you, it
causes you to be despised, and this is one of those ignominies against which a prince ought to guard
himself, as is shown later on.
Pt. II: Concerning the Real World versus the Utopian Society
It remains now to see what ought to be the rules of conduct for a prince toward subject and friends.
And as I know that many have written on this point, I expect I shall be considered presumptuous in
mentioning it again, especially as in discussing it I shall depart from the methods of other people. But
it being my intention to write a thing which shall be useful to him to apprehends it, it appears to me
more appropriate to follow up the real truth of a matter than the imagination of it; for many have
pictured republics and principalities which in fact have never been known or seen, because how one
lives is so far distant from how one ought to live, that he who neglects what is done for what ought to
be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation; for a man who wishes to act entirely up to his
professions of virtue soon meets with what destroys him among so much that is evil. Hence, it is
necessary for a prince wishing to hold his own to know how to do wrong, and to make use of it or not
according to necessity. Therefore, putting on one side imaginary things concerning a prince, and
discussing those which are real, I say that all men when they are spoken of, and chiefly princes for
being more highly placed, are remarkable for some of those qualities which bring them either blame
or praise; and thus it is that one is reputed liberal, another miserly...; one is reputed generous, one
rapacious; one cruel, one compassionate; one faithless, another faithful.... And I know that everyone
will confess that it would be most praiseworthy in a prince to exhibit all the above qualities that are
considered good; but because they can neither be entirely possessed nor observed, for human
conditions do not permit it, it is necessary for him to be sufficiently prudent that he may know how to
avoid the reproach of those vices which would lose him his state...
Pt. III: Concerning Cruelty and Clemency, and Whether it is Better to be Loved than Feared
Upon this a question arises: whether it is better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may
be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, it
is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with. Because this
is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as
long as you succeed they are yours entirely; they will offer you their blood, property, life, and children,
as is said above, when the need is far distant; but when it approaches they turn against you. And that
prince who, relying entirely on their promises, has neglected other precautions, is ruined; because
friendships that are obtained by payments, and not by nobility or greatness of mind, may indeed be
earned, but they are not secured, and in time of need cannot be relied upon; and men have less
scruple in offending one who is beloved than one who is feared, for love is preserved by the link of
obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage;
but fear preserved you by a dread of punishment which never fails. Nevertheless a prince ought to
inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very
well being feared whilst he is not hated, which will always be as long as he abstains from the property
of his citizens and subjects and from their women.
Answer the following questions and submit your answers on google classroom:
1. What three qualities did Machiavelli believe that great rulers should have?
2. Why were his ideas so important to the Renaissance time period?
3. Is Machiavelli's philosophy still relevant today?
4. Create a discussion question for the class to discuss.

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Excerpts from The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli, 1513

Pt. I: Concerning Military Control and Supremacy

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