Machiavelli tortured and expelled by the

rulers of
The prince marked the birth of a new
secular faith in human potential.
Morality is subsumed to science and
holding power

 this government knows they cannot

stand without his friendship and
interest, and does its utmost to
support him
hold it more easily by the means of its
own citizens than any other way."

 the safest way is to destroy them or

reside there.

 the safest way is to destroy them or

reside there.
the republics have more vitality,
greater hatred, and more desire for
vengeance,
they will never permit them to allow
the memory of their former liberty to
rest, so that the safest way is to
destroy them or reside there.


Those who by valorous ways become
princes, like these men, acquire a
principality with difficulty, but they keep it
with ease.

The difficulties they have in acquiring it

rise in part from the new rules an
methods that they are forced to introduce
to establish their government and its
security.

And it ought to be remembered

that there is nothing more
difficult to take in hand, more
perilous to conduct, or more
uncertain in its success, than
to take the lead in the
introduction of a new order of
things

the nature of people is

variable, and whilst it is easy to
persuade them, it is difficult to
fix them in that persuasion.

it may be possible to make

them believe by force.

 those who become princes from being

private citizens have little trouble in
rising, but much in keeping atop.
those foundations, which others have
laid BEFORE they became princes, they
must lay AFTERWARDS.
The knife in the side.


evil may be justified IF it may be called
properly used, that are applied at
one blow and are necessary to ones
security, and that are not persisted in
afterward unless they can be turned to
the advantage of the subjects.

"Injuries ought to be done all at

one time, so that, being tasted
less, they offend less."

the prince should live in such a

way that no unexpected
circumstances, whether of good
or evil, shall make him change

Where the ruler achieves not by

wickedness or any intolerable
violence, but by the favour of his fellow
citizens - this may be called a civil
principality.

 He who obtains sovereignty by the the

assistance of the nobles, maintains
himself with more difficulty than he
who comes to it by the aid of the
people.

 He who obtains sovereignty by the the

assistance of the nobles, maintains
himself with more difficulty than he who
comes to it by the aid of the people.
Nobles elect a prince so they can oppress,
people elect a prince so they will not be
oppressed
Foreshadowing of his Discourses where the
republic is superior to the principality