Prince+-+book+chat


 * What are Machiavelli's views regarding free will? Can the events of history be shaped by individuals, or are they the consequence of fortune and circumstance?**
 * Machiavelli, like most mean, but awesomely logical people, detests the very idea for the common man and nobles, but says that the prince should be an absolute ruler. Machiavelli speaks of circumstance as something to be taken advantage of; fortune is a circumstance. -Max


 * Machiavelli believed that actions shaping the events of history are determined by both free will and fortune equally. Machiavellli defines fortune as a nature of circumstances that leaves one to decide how to act in whatever circumstances that should come one's way. A metaphor that Machiavelli uses to describe fortune is that of a flooding river. Man has the choice, or free will, to flee before the flooding waters or build structures to prevent the waters from damaging their homes. However, man cannot prevent the river from flooding. Thus, history is shaped by the actions individuals take to either take advantage of good circumstances or, when bad fortune occurs, overcome the unfortunate circumstance. {melissa}
 * Machiavelli states that half of our decisions are determined by the amount of money we have. Fortune is a circumstance that each individual considers when making a decision. Events in history are shaped by each individual's fortune and circumstance. -Jasmine\\
 * A ruler's ability is determined by both prowess and fortune.[Anthony 8.6]
 * Machiavelli believed that fortune dictates many of the decisions that man makes. Before making any choice, he will always weight in his mind how fortune will impact the outcome. History is based on how much money and the circumstances that each person is in. They cannot change or control history, but they can use their situations to benefit them. - Rosanna

S**CIENCE & TECHNOLOGY -
 * Who is this Machiavelli?
 * T**HOUGHT, IDEAS, RELIGION, PHILOSOPHY, LITERATURE - Literature: Angel Poliziano and Marsilio Ficino [anthony 7/19]
 * A**RT, MUSIC, ARCHITECTURE - Art: Botticelli, Fillipino Lippi, Michelangelo. [anthony 7/19]
 * P**OLITICS & PERSONALITIES (Who he knew / influenced, etc) - people he knew: Marietta Corsini (wife); Emperor Maximillian (via diplomatic mission) [anthony 7/19]; politics: During Machiavelli's childhood days, the Medici family had been in control of Florentine politics for a century already. [anthony 7/19]
 * L**AW & GOVERNEMENT - previously Florence's Repulbic. later overthrown by the Medici family (1484). anthony [8/1]
 * E**CONOMICS, ECONOMIC THEORY, TRADE, AGRICULTURE, TAXES -
 * S**OCIAL HISTORY, CLASS, GENDER ROLES, DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH (This can include information about him, or his thoughts on these things) -

Machiavelli was a very clever man born in Florence in 1469. In 1484, the Medici family overthrew Florence's Republic and became the rulers of Florence. Machiavellli, a supporter of the Republic, was exiled from Florence. Thus, in a probable attempt to regain standing in Florence, Machiavelli wrote //The Prince.// Besides the esteemed //Prince// and //The Discourses,// Machiavelli also wrote //The Art of War// and other plays, prose, and verses. {Melissa}


 * Why did he write //The Prince//?**

he wanted to advise the prince he was writing the book for and to persuade him to be a feared leader- Max

Machiavelli spent his days in exhilation writing //The Prince// as a sort of guide to Lorenzo de Medici, the prince of Florence at the time, in hopes that Lorenzo would use his guide to build a strong and sustaining government. ~Melissa

Machiavelli used //The Prince// as a way to gain favor from the Medici family and to get back into the city and the government. - anthony

Since Machiavelli was sent away, he had time and wanted to write The Prince because the book was an attempt to win over favor from the Medicis so he could regain his power in office. -Jasmine

He wanted to advise Lorenzo de Medici not to be like Louis XII. (anthony)

Machiavelli was hoping he could gain back the favor of the Medici family with //The Prince// after being exiled so he could regain his position in government. He also hoped it would serve as a guide for other rulers. - Rosanna

Machiavelli wrote //The Prince// so that he can guide Lorenzo de Medici to be a good leader and not like Louis XII. Jess


 * Weird VOCAB in** //**The Prince**

2. Principalities- a state ruled by a prince 3. Discourses- a formal, lengthy discussion of a subject 4. Fortresses- a fortified place, which may include a large, military stronghold that often includes a town {melissa}**//
 * 1. Despot- a king who has absolute and unlimited power

1. Recourse: a turning to someone for help and protection 2. Efficacious: having the power to produce a desired effect. 3. Arbiter: a person with power to decide a dispute. 4. Rapacious: excessively grasping or covetous. 5. Ham: A delicious lunch meat that tastes great on sandwiches. {Max}

What does the essay prompt mean? "Discuss the ways in which advisers reflect favorably or unfavorably upon their ruler." What do you mean by reflect favorably upon ruler? Does that mean how the advisers think of the ruler? Or how the ruler views his advisers? Or like the impression people get of the ruler by observing the advisers? {melissa}

The prompt is a bit confusing to me as well. With regards to “the adviser reflecting favorably on the ruler”, it means what people think of the ruler himself, with the advisors advice being silently accounted for. Think of it as if the advisors were rubbing good or bad fortune on the prince with his advice. But the prompt is kind of hazy in and of itself because the mentions of advisors are few and far between while Maximillian is mentioned only once during the entire course of the material. This will be very hazy. {Max}

I get the part about the recent example of an ideal adviser in Machiavelli's view as well as the part about the difference between a flatterer and an adviser. But what I DON'T get is the part about writing on how advisers reflect +/- on their rulers. How do we do that portion? [anthony]

Do you think the reflecting favorably/unfavorably on the ruler is a paraphrase of "How do advisers impact their rulers, favorably or unfavorably?" ? {melissa}

yes. {Max}

does that mean how the advisors make the prince look good/bad?(anthony)

yes, and if you make this 5 paragraph, you are a noob {Max}

um...how so? {melissa}

'cause I have 7. {Max}

this is getting to be like one of our history blogs. its turning into a chatroom of sorts... anthony

Well Anthony, you're getting so high and mighty now using big words like "blog" and "sorts". Just don't get too full of yourself man with such eloquent verbiage. {Max}

//The Prince and Other Writings// by Niccolo Machiavelli [|www.dictionary.com] http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/machiavelli/ [|http://www.sparknotes.com]