‘A prince being compelled knowingly to adopt the beast, ought to choose the fox and the lion; because the lion cannot defend himself against snares and the fox cannot defend himself against wolves. It is necessary to be a fox to discover the snares and a lion to terrify the wolves.’
The Prince was a “little book” originally sent by Machiavelli to Lorenzo de’ Medici as a gift in the hopes that he might gain an office in the government of Florence. While the little book failed to gain him office, it did ensure Machiavelli’s fame (or, according to some, infamy) since this was the book that made his name synonymous with the amoral scheming usually associated with politics. According to Machiavelli, the book was the product of his long experience in contemporary politics and his great knowledge of antiquity. From his long experience in politics, he came to reject lofty ideals and traditional morality. Instead, he concerned himself with regimes that would last, even if it was through immoral means. The Prince has since become a foundational work in realpolitik.
Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian diplomat, philosopher, political theorist, historian, and statesman who lived during the Renaissance.