4. Use The Beatitudes to argue against Machiavelli.

Machiavelli's views in The Prince go against God's word and will. Machiavelli says that in order to have control of a principality one must be brutal. Machiavelli uses Agathocles the Sicilian as an example of this. Agathocles had risen in power to become the Praetor of Syracuse. He was determined to become prince and use violence to do it. One day Agathocles gathered the people and senate of Syracuse, pretending that he had to discuss things about the Republic with them. When he gave a signal, the soldiers killed all of the senators and the richest people. This allowed Agathocles to take control over the princedom. (Ch. 13) Machiavelli doesn't say that this was a way to gain glory, but that it was a way to gain control over a principality which is of most importance. He feels that it is ok to be cruel in order to gain power. The Beatitudes say, "blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5 New International Version) Someone who is meek does not kill people to gain power, which is what Machiavelli is suggesting a prince should do. Machiavelli says, "...because how one lives is so far distant from how one ought to live, that he who neglects what is done for what ought to be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation; for a man who wishes to act entirely up to his professions of virtue soon meets with what destroys him among so much that is evil." (Ch. 15) Machiavelli is saying that a prince should not be concerned about living the way the Lord wants because there is so much that is bad in the world that a prince has to be able to deal with and defend against evil and being peaceful and holy will not let him do this. The Beatitudes say, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8 New International Version) One who is committing evil acts in order to remain powerful are not pure in heart. In The Prince Machiavelli basically says that it is better to be feared and powerful than it is to be loved and insignificant. (Ch. 17) As long as the prince is in power then nothing else matters. The prince remaining in power is important to him, but in reality when it comes time to be judged by God having been a powerful ruler will not matter because in the end it is whether or not you lived your life in a holy way that matters.

Works Cited:

Machiavelli, N. (1532). The Prince. Florence: Antonio Blado d'Asola. .