The Prince- Niccolo Machiavelli

1. What is Machiavelli's opinion about ma nkind? How may one consider his system a n innovation? How is the study of the pas t and the experience of modern events imp ortant for a statesman?2. List the basic themes of The Prince an d comment about them briefly. 3. Comment on Cesare Borgia, as presented in Chapter 7, and discuss the reasons w by Machiavelli dedicated almost the entir e chapter to him. 4. Explain the importance of Machiavelli' s words in Chapter 15: "My intention being to write something u seful for whoever understands it, it seem ed to me more appropriate to pursue the e ffectual truth of the matter rather than its imagined one" and discuss the novelty of the entire chapter. 5. Discuss Machiavelli's ideas about reli gion. 6. According to Machiavelli, what is the role of fortune in human affairs? What ca n men do to alter the course of fortune? 7. "Si guarda al fine." Discuss this quot ation in the Prince