Chapter 15 Summary

All that remains is to consider how a prince should treat his subjects and friends. Many men have imagined principalities and republics that do not exist at all. The way men live is different from the way they should live. Therefore, anyone who abandons reality for a dream pursues his own downfall. A man who strives to be good in all of his actions will come to ruin, because there are so many men who are not good. A prince who is interested in surviving must know when to be good, and he must use this talent to effectively lead his people.

When people speak of princes they talk about qualities that bring either praise or censure. Some are called generous, while others are called miserly. Some are called cruel, while others are called merciful. It is not possible for a prince to...