And on the contrary, it is seen that when princes have thought more of ease thanof arms they have lost their states(The Prince, p79)."Machiavelli successfully shows the importance of a prince to have the ability to "study the art of war." In his time, states and governments were lost due to the inadequacies of the rulers that had power. Italy was the perfect example of a government that had these troubles.Niccolo Machiavelli's life was full of obstacles and asperity. In his life he dreamed of a unified Italy, and one man, a prince, to achieve his goals. He was a master of politics, and a philosopher that preached towards the empowerment of government. Unfortunately his intentions remain clouded and this fuels the uncertainty that follows his name. Along with his inspiring work on politics and governments, he wrote satirical plays and also wrote poetry. Although, for good or bad, he will always be remembered for the work he accomplished with The Prince. The way that Machiavelli compared and contrasted forms of governments with historical events supplemented The Prince, so that it was so much more then an outline, but a guide of measures to be followed, characteristics to be filled, and the fashion that a strong man, a prince should rule. Machiavelli did not edit or hold back the virtues that a prince should posses. It was explicit, and it gave meaning to the abilities of authority that a prince had to rule with. It justified cruel actions that a prince should be capable of and willing to utilize in the times of need. Machiavelli's reputation isn't one of peace, love and goodwill to man. Machiavelli wasn't worried about this reputation. He worried about great men and the minds and ideas that they could create. Despite the challenges he faced, he "would rather be in hell and converse with great minds than live in paradise with that dull rabble."...
