Discourses of Niccollo

The Portable Machiavelli

By: Machiavelli

The Private Letters

Private Letter III:

Ð'* To Giovan Battista Soderini or Piero Soderini in Perugia

Ð'* One is obliged to look to the results of an action to see how it is accomplished, and not to the mean by which it was achieved.

Ð'* Each man should do what his spirit tells him, do not take direction from anyone

Ð'* The fortunate man is one who can change according to the changing times, an unfortunate man is not able to do this, and results in failure. Times are always changing.

Ð'* One can maintain good fortune by understanding the changing times and accommodating himself. One who avoids all bad with this method will be seen as a man who can command the stars and fate.

Ð'* Such men cannot be found, due to being short-sighted and unable to discipline their character. Fortune therefore commands men and keeps them under her control.

Ð'* Cruelty, perfidy, and contempt for religion increase a new ruler's reputation, where faith, humanity, and religion have been abandoned.

Private Letter V:

Ð'* To Francesco Vettori in Rome

Ð'* Anyone who loses his own interests for those of others sacrifices his own and receives no thanks from the others.

Ð'* Speaks of his misfortune. Discusses his times prior to the present. It appears that he works for someone now cutting wood. He reads more living his life vicariously through the characters.

Ð'* He is still concerned of his reputation that he can be trusted with the letters of the Ambassador.

Ð'* He feels ill treated by fate with his new fortune, but waits happily for fate to feel its shame for giving him this life.

Ð'* Dante (poet) says that knowledge does not exist without the retention of it by memory.

Ð'* He wrote a new piece, De principatibus, where he discussed different types of principalities, and how they are maintained or lost.

The Prince

Chapter I:

Ð'* To know well the nature of the people, one must be a Prince and to know well the nature of the Prince, one must be of the people.

Ð'* Principalities are either hereditary, where the family of a Prince has ruled for generations, or they are new.

Chapter II:

Ð'* Hereditary states are accustomed to the rule of the prince's family, so there are fewer difficulties in maintaining.

Ð'* Only an extraordinary or inordinate force will deprive the prince of his position.

Ð'* Some may try to speak against the prince, but he is generally so well loved, that even if he lost his position, he may regain it.

Chapter III:

Ð'* Mixed principalities' is not new but a new acquisition. Problems arise as man is quick to change masters which can lead to taking arms against their ruler.

Ð'* To successfully conquer and hold a new principality one must be able to satisfy the new citizens and it's army

Ð'* One will lose their hold if they cannot satisfy both. Ex. Louis XII, King of France lost Milan twice.

Ð'* To lose it a second time could be due to difference in language and customs. If the King is not able to maintain and understand the countries original customs, the citizens may rebel.

How to keep rule in foreign Province:

Ð'* The conqueror must remember to extinguish the old Kings bloodline. Also do not alter the taxes or laws.

Ð'* For a king with different language or customs, it is best to live there.

Ð'* Colony is beneficial. Send to act as support on your behalf, cheap to maintain, done through fear, removing the poor of the country out of their home as a fear tactic not to disobey the King.

"Concerning this, it should be noted that the one must either pamper or do away with men, because they will avenge themselves for minor offences while for more serious ones they cannot; so that any harm done to a man must be the kind that removes any fear of revenge." Pg.83 this passage from Chapter III is an example of logical reasoning conspicuously devoid of ethical considerations. A prince must realize that he has two options: benevolence and destruction. Because the latter option will cause resentment among the people, he should choose it only if he is absolutely sure there