d politics (Ruffo-Fiore, Silvia p.12)." Borgia is mentioned throughout The Prince, and perhaps Machiavelli viewed him as the ideal prince. Borgia failed to achieve this, but many believe that he was used as the ideal example. "From the perspective of theory, nothing can be more instructive than Machiavelli's analysis of the politics of Cesare Borgia. Though ultimately Borgia remains a failed prince, he is never the less presented an exemplar for all innovators. (Parel, Anthony p.117)."In Chapter XVIII Machiavelli urges rulers to take on the characteristics of animals such as the fox and the lion by using cunning force when the situation requires it. "The lion cannot defend himself against snares and the fox can't defend himself against wolves. Therefore it is necessary to be a fox to discover the snares, and a lion to terrify the wolves." This view of men acting as beasts, challenges the humanist view of behavior of man. A humanist such as Erasmus would not accept human beings acting like animals, and since the humanists were such a philosophical force in Machiavelli's time, it caused even more of an outrage.Throughout The Prince, Machiavelli gives many orders for a prince to imitate based on personal experience and knowledge gathered from his time spent involved with politics and government. In chapter XIV titled "That Which Concerns a Prince on the Subject of War" Machiavelli explains that the most important aspect of the omnipotent rule that a Prince should posses is war (The Prince, p.79). Machiavelli witnessed the "art of war" and through his dealings, he expresses whole-heartedly the importance of war to a prince.A Prince ought to have no other aim thought, nor select anything else for hisstudy, than war and its rules and discipline;for this is the sole are that belongs tohim that who rules, and it is such a forcethat it not only upholds those who are bornprinces, but it often enables men to risefrom a private station to the rank....
