1. What historical example does Machiavelli give to show how a military should be organized?
(a) Sparticus and the Roman slaves.
(b) Darius, King of Persia.
(c) The last days of the Roman Empire.
(d) Phillip, father of Alexander the Great.

2. What Biblical example does Machiavelli use to show that someone else's arms are useless?
(a) Samson and Delilah.
(b) Caleb and Joshua.
(c) Egypt and Syria.
(d) David and Goliath.

3. Which examples does Machiavelli use to support the idea of not being overly generous?
(a) King Saul and Ramses the Great.
(b) Moses and the Duke of Milan.
(c) King Midas and King Darius.
(d) The King of Spain and the King of France.

4. What were the results of Sparta setting up oligarchies in Athens and Thebes after they conquered them?
(a) They learned how to retain a possession.
(b) They changed their own forms of government.
(c) They lost the new territories.
(d) They held them for a thousand years.

5. How does Machiavelli say that the successors of Alexander the Great were able to retain power after his untimely death?
(a) Under his system, governance was easily transferred to his appointed ministers.
(b) The people did not care who ruled them.
(c) The people were so happy to be rid of Darius that they accepted anyone else.
(d) They did not let the people know that Alexander had died.

Short Answer Questions

1. One Princedom, according to Machiavelli, is ruled by a sole prince; the other is by a prince and his barons. What does Machiavelli see as a weakness of the latter?

2. What example does Machiavelli give of a dominion that is a limb of a larger one?

3. Why does Machiavelli argue against a prince being overly generous?

4. Citing Moses, Cyrus, Romulus, and Theseus, what distinction does Machiavelli make about Moses?

5. Ending his discussion of Ecclesiastical Dominions, why is Machiavelli so circumspect about the current Pope?

(see the answer key)

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