What does Machiavelli promise The Prince Lorenzo in his dedicatory letter?

Wishing, therefore, to offer myself to Your Magnificence with some evidence of my devotion to you, I have not found among my belongings anything that I might value more or prize so much as the knowledge and deeds of great men that I have learned from a long experience in modern affairs and a continuous study of …

What does Machiavelli base his knowledge of the things discussed in The Prince on?

The proper behavior of princes toward subjects and allies remains to be discussed. Many others have treated this subject, but Machiavelli bases his observations on the real world, not on an imagined ideal.

Was Machiavelli part of the Medici family?

The Medici played a central role in Machiavelli’s life and works. Until 1494 he lived in a city dominated by them, and from 1498 to 1512 he was employed by a government to which they represented a threat and an alternative focus of allegiance for discontented Florentines.

Why did the Medici exile Machiavelli?

Abandoning his youthful idealism, the spin doctor lobbied hard for a job inside Giovanni de’Medici’s new regime, but his ambition was short-lived. The Medici threw him in jail, tortured him and sent him into solitary exile at his country retreat.

What is the tone of The Prince Machiavelli?

The tone of the book goes from the dry, know-it-all voice that we talked about above to a whiny, annoying, suck-up. This sort of praise and language was standard form when talking to anyone as fancy as Lorenzo, but to our modern ears it sounds sickeningly sweet.

What is the perspective of the speaker in The Prince?

First Person (Peripheral Narrator) The narration of The Prince is pretty straightforward. He’s not really telling us a story, but instructing us.

What is the conclusion of Chapter XVII of The Prince?

Machiavelli concludes, “Since some men love as they please but fear when the prince pleases, a wise prince should rely on what he controls,” which is fear. Although a prince should strive to inspire a certain degree of fear, “he must only endeavor . . . to escape being hated” by his subjects.