CAS WR 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Fatalism

• School: Boston University
• Department: Writing
• Course: CAS WR 100
• Professor: Ted Fitts

Document Summary

Ni(cid:272)(cid:272)olo ma(cid:272)hia(cid:448)elli (cid:449)ar(cid:374)s lore(cid:374)zo de" medi(cid:272)i a(cid:271)out fortu(cid:374)e. Most of the guidance provided are meant to prevent riots and revolt from the people, and a pri(cid:374)(cid:272)e (cid:373)ust k(cid:374)o(cid:449) that his o(cid:449)(cid:374) people a(cid:374)d ar(cid:373)(cid:455) are(cid:374)"t agai(cid:374)st hi(cid:373), espe(cid:272)iall(cid:455) duri(cid:374)g (cid:449)ar. Machiavelli asserts that a pri(cid:374)(cid:272)e"s (cid:862)pri(cid:373)ar(cid:455) (cid:272)o(cid:374)(cid:272)er(cid:374)(cid:863) should (cid:271)e (cid:449)ar, si(cid:374)(cid:272)e (cid:449)ithout it, his country might seem vulnerable and despicable. the true priority still lies with the appearance of the prince and maintaining his authority. If a prince seems unfit to rule, his ruin will be inevitable either by insurrection or invasion, and to ma(cid:272)hia(cid:448)elli, su(cid:272)(cid:272)essful (cid:449)ar is the deter(cid:373)i(cid:374)i(cid:374)g fa(cid:272)tor of a pri(cid:374)(cid:272)e"s prestige. 16th century france and spain was gaining power by centralizing and expanding, taking over parts of italy. Machiavelli, recognizing the importance of maintaining the strength of florence, a major city- state of italy at the time, urged lorenzo to also pursue centralization and expansion.