Essay about Virtù in Machiavelli’s Prince - 1520 Words

For most contemporary readers, Niccolà ² Machiavelli is a name synonymous with deceit, cunning, and manipulation, a reputation which stems almost entirely from his authorship of one of the central works of modern political philosophy: The Prince. Given this image, it is incredibly ironic that the Italian word virtà ¹ and its derivatives appear no less than seventy-two times throughout the work. While the translator goes to great lengths to adapt this versatile word to the context of the situation, it is nevertheless clear that virtà ¹ is closely related to its English cognate virtue. This, along with the political nature of Machiavelli’s work, shapes the discourse about the nature of princedoms into one in which the author explores the more†¦show more content†¦There is, however, a troubling aspect to this kind of scale, leading to an important question for those seeking more virtà ¹. If one copies the actions of another person, how is it that one can ever be grea ter than the person whom he imitates; at the very least, how can human history itself escape being a story of increasingly mediocre statesmen? The only way to resolve this seeming issue is to understand how Machiavelli first conceives of virtà ¹. In Chapter Six, the majority of the discussion regarding virtà ¹ centers on the value of the abstract notions of skill and strength of character. Even in the passages that deal with Moses, Romulus, Cyrus, Theseus, and Hiero, the only tangible, imitable advice the reader receives is to disband an old militia, drop old friends, and arise at an opportune moment. This hardly seems enough to take over a state given the immense difficulties with which such an action is associated. Machiavelli, at least in the beginning, has removed the scaffolding from the building he has created, leaving the reader to wonder what exactly he should replicate to gain virtà ¹. Chapter Eight provides a crucial insight with respect to virtà ¹ in the work. In it, Machiavelli advises the reader that â€Å"one ought not, of course, to call it virtà ¹ [virtue or manliness] to massacre one’s fellow citizens, toShow MoreRelatedMachiavelli s The Prince And The Discourse Essay1328 Words   |  6 PagesNiccolà ² Machiavelli wrote a book which called The Prince. It is about the political ideology of Machiavelli s political realism, which means the effective truth is taken to be more important than any abstract ideal. In this book, he talks about the importance of the concept of virtà º. He claimed that rulers have to suppress their personal virtues while sometimes committing improper acts in order to maintain powers and protect their principalities. 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The Prince has had a long and chequered history and the number of controversiesRead MoreEssay about Plato vs Machiavelli1052 Words   |  5 PagesOf the many disparities between Plato and Machiavelli, the distinction of virtue versus virtu sticks out like a sore thumb. Virtue was the political bases for Plato: All men should behave virtuously at all times. Whereas Machiavelli believed virtu was the basis for political prowess. What was best for the state as a whole was the main concern, and the ends always justified the means. Plato’s object was the creation of a utopian society--a civilization that abhorred war and centered itself upon