Larsen’s Additions

1. Larsen’s Additions To student Machiavelli Presentations

2. #5 Why did France lose Milan? See the list in the first full paragraph on page 6. Your answer should contain the six errors that are listed in that paragraph.

3. #7 How can a prince hold an area with different languages, customs, or laws? See pages 2-3 Residing in the territory Sending in colonies Becoming the friend and defender of neighboring countries Weakening any neighboring countries and/or making sure that foreigners are never as strong as you are

4. #8 How severely a prince should treat men See top of page 3 “Men ought either to be well treated or crushed, because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries, of more serious ones they cannot” Punish them so severely that they are terrified of trying to revenge themselves.

5. #11 Why depend on a pensioner rather than anyone else? A pensioner is a person who receives a pension (i.e.—the prince is paying for the person’s food, housing, clothes, other living expenses) The pensioner is totally dependent on the prince…if they do something the prince doesn’t like, they have no where to live and nothing to eat. That’s strong motivation to stay loyal.

6. 12. Why is their both praise and folly in wanting to acquire new territory? See bottom of page 5 Praise if you have the desire AND the ability to follow through and be successful Folly if you have the desire BUT not the ability to actually succeed…and you try it anyway.

7. #14 Machiavelli’s General Rule See very top of page 7 “He who is the cause of another becoming powerful is ruined; because that predominancy has been brought about either by astuteness or else by force, and both are distrusted by him how has been raised to power” If you make another person powerful, you are ruined. That person won’t trust your motives, and you can’t trust that they won’t use their intelligence or their power to defy you.

8. #16 Leading a civil principality See the first paragraph of section IX (page 7) A civil principality is an area that has an elected or selected leader, rather than a hereditary or conquering one. The leader of a civil principality needs nothing more than “a happy shrewdness” in order to win the favor of his fellow citizens.

9. #19 The various types of nobles See page 8 (first full paragraph) Those nobles who DO bind themselves entirely to you should be honored and loved Those nobles who DO NOT bind themselves to you because they are cowardly can be used and honored when things are going well, but don’t have to be feared when things go bad. Those nobles who DO NOT bind themselves to you because of their own ambitions should be guarded against and feared as if they were enemies.

10. #21 “He who builds on the people, builds on the mud” See last sentence on page 8, top of page 9 Only true when a private citizen tries to persuade himself that the people will help him when he is oppressed or in trouble. (The private citizen has built on the mud) A true prince, with courage, the skill to rule, and who enjoys the support of the people because of his energy and resolve, will never be deserted by his people and can count on them to support him in any situation. (The prince has NOT built on the mud)

11. #24 What is the danger of trying to appear too liberal? See bottom of page 9-top of page 10 You may ending spending all of your money and resources and have nothing left for yourself or to run your land. Also, you can’t please everyone so you’ll inevitably make some people unhappy with your generosity.

12. #30 Being a new prince See bottom of page 11- top of page 12 A new prince will always be viewed as cruel because of the things he must do to preserve his power in a new state. Machiavelli’s advice for the new prince is listed clearly in the first paragraph after the italicized quote at the top of page 12.

13. #34 What do the examples of Hannibal and Scipio prove? See page 13 Hannibal used ‘inhuman cruelty’ but he was successful and revered. Scipio was wonderful in almost every way but he was too lenient and almost lost everything. Therefore, cruelty does work at keeping an army or government working properly. Being too lenient or trying to be loved causes problems.

14. #36 A plan for dealing with flatterers See top of page 14 Choose wise men and give ONLY them the permission to tell you the truth…and ONLY when you ask them Ask for their advice about everything, listen to their advice, and then form your own opinion. Let your councilors know that the more freely they speak when asked, the more they will be respected. But always be firm in the decisions you make once you make them.

15. #39 Machiavelli’s “Never Failing” Statement See bottom of 14 –top of 15 “A prince who is not wise himself will never take good advice, unless by chance he has yielded his affairs entirely to one person who happens to be a very prudent man. In this case, he will be well-governed, but not for long since such a governor will soon take his state from him” Basically, a prince has to be wise himself, or his wiser counselor will take his state from him.

16. #42 Fortune is a River See last paragraph on page 15 Fortune is like a river because it is strong, and powerful, and can wipe anyone out. Yet, like a flooding river, you can do some things to minimize the damage if you are prepared for changes in fortune.