Niccolo Machiavelli Virtues And Virtue - 1122 Words

Kings, rulers come to an end due to non-prudent behavior or a deadly mistake. The truth will uncover to whether the prince was virtuous or faking virtue. When a mistake appears, and the true self reveals. A prince could achieve complete virtue only through a sinless life. Dante depicts a soul as being virtuous by living a pure life and avoiding eternal death in the afterlife. To reign profitably, it is necessitating for a prince to have virtue. Virtue in return, will benefit him in the current and afterlife. Virtue is the moral understanding of something beyond the physical sphere of life. Observing the situation in Florence during Niccolo Machiavelli’s time, it was in ruins due to corruption among citizens and poor leadership. To put†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"†¦because they knew that there is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others† (Machiavelli, 12). Machiavelli points out that the Romans were victorious because they never steer away from war, a cruel action. To survive as a prince, one had to be cunning and vicious. Machiavelli says that a virtuous prince is one that could keep and protect his state, while utilizing needed unethical methods. He indicates that if prowess cannot be accomplished it must be feigned by the ruler. However, there is a problem with the idea of faking virtue, because one lacking prowess is more susceptible to making a fatal decision. Another difficulty is that obligating acts of darkness would not make a prince a prudent ruler even if it is for the common good of the state. The problem lies within the question, what would become of the soul. The prince may be successful temporary on earth, but what awaits in eternity? He would not be so much considered virtuous and triumphant after his death. The prince’s soul would endure the punishment for his actions, in a place of tournament and outer darkness. Dante brings the reality of the soul’s place back for depiction of what defines righteousness. Worthiness and virtuousness are measured in one’s afterlife as mentioned in â€Å"The Inferno of Dante†. One’s failures will acknowledge themselves in the afterlife, and not soShow MoreRelated The Prince Essay1043 Words   |  5 Pagestheir ideas on politics, but none were better than those of Niccolo Machiavelli. Born in 1469, Niccolo was adamant in creating a master plan for seizing and controlling power. He voiced these themes on what it takes to be a prince of a state in his magnificent book, The Prince. In his book many themes were expressed in order to fulfill the role of a prince. These themes ranged from human nature to military force and most importantly virtue. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Machavelli believed that theRead MoreMachiavelli’s Political Ideas and Influence1477 Words   |  6 Pagesauthor and political figure from the Renaissance who embodied political realism was Niccolo Machiavelli. Machiavelli was a Florentine born in 1469 and lived during the crux of the Renaissance. Before his career as an author Machiavelli was a Florentine ambassador in France and The Holy Roman Empire. Machiavelli studied Renaissance humanism and political realism. As a reaction to what he saw in the north, In 1513 Machiavelli wrote The Prince, which explained his ideas and experiences from his time as anRead MoreBiography of and Principles Taught By Niccolo Machiavelli Essay1047 Words   |  5 PagesMachiavelli Essay: Question 1 Born in the 15th century, Niccolà ² Machiavelli was an Italian historian, politician, philosopher, diplomat and humanist. 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