Key Arguments

• Ministerial quality depends on the prince’s prudence, so their character is a ready proxy for assessing the prince.
• If ministers are capable and faithful, the prince has recognized merit and retained fidelity, proving wisdom.
• If ministers are otherwise, the prince has already erred in the first selection, warranting an unfavorable judgment.
• Historical example: Pandolfo Petrucci’s reputation for prudence derived from having Messer Antonio of Venafro as his minister.

Source Quotes

The choice of Ministers is a matter of no small moment to a Prince. Whether they shall be good or no depends on his prudence, so that the readiest conjecture we can form of the character and sagacity of a Prince, is from seeing what sort of men he has about him.

The choice of Ministers is a matter of no small moment to a Prince. Whether they shall be good or no depends on his prudence, so that the readiest conjecture we can form of the character and sagacity of a Prince, is from seeing what sort of men he has about him. When they are at once capable and faithful, we may always account him wise, since he has known to recognize their merit and to retain their fidelity.

Whether they shall be good or no depends on his prudence, so that the readiest conjecture we can form of the character and sagacity of a Prince, is from seeing what sort of men he has about him. When they are at once capable and faithful, we may always account him wise, since he has known to recognize their merit and to retain their fidelity. But if they be otherwise, we must pronounce unfavourably of him, since he has committed a first fault in making this selection.

When they are at once capable and faithful, we may always account him wise, since he has known to recognize their merit and to retain their fidelity. But if they be otherwise, we must pronounce unfavourably of him, since he has committed a first fault in making this selection. There was none who knew Messer Antonio of Venafro, as Minister of Pandolfo Petrucci, Lord of Siena, but thought Pandolfo a most prudent ruler in having him for his servant.

But if they be otherwise, we must pronounce unfavourably of him, since he has committed a first fault in making this selection. There was none who knew Messer Antonio of Venafro, as Minister of Pandolfo Petrucci, Lord of Siena, but thought Pandolfo a most prudent ruler in having him for his servant. And since there are three scales of intelligence, one which understands by itself, a second which understands what is shown it by others, and a third which understands neither by itself nor on the showing of others, the first of which is most excellent, the second good, but the third worthless, we must needs admit that if Pandolfo was not in the first of these degrees, he was in the second; for when one has the judgment to discern the good from the bad in what another says or does, though he be devoid of invention, he can recognize the merits and demerits of his servant, and will commend the former while he corrects the latter.

Key Concepts

• The choice of Ministers is a matter of no small moment to a Prince.
• Whether they shall be good or no depends on his prudence, so that the readiest conjecture we can form of the character and sagacity of a Prince, is from seeing what sort of men he has about him.
• When they are at once capable and faithful, we may always account him wise, since he has known to recognize their merit and to retain their fidelity.
• But if they be otherwise, we must pronounce unfavourably of him, since he has committed a first fault in making this selection.
• There was none who knew Messer Antonio of Venafro, as Minister of Pandolfo Petrucci, Lord of Siena, but thought Pandolfo a most prudent ruler in having him for his servant.

Context

Chapter 22, lines 1525-1549; opening thesis on ministers as reflections of princely prudence, with the Pandolfo–Venafro example.