Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince.
There are, for example, the Spartans and the
Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes,
establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost
hem. The Romans, in order to hold Capua, Carthage,
and Numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose
hem. They wished to hold Greece as the Spartans
meld it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did
not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to
dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there
is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining
them. And he who becomes master of a city
accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may
expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has
always the watchword of liberty and its ancient
privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor
benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever you
may do or provide against. they never forget that
Mark this and return
What is Machiavelli's primary purpose in writing this
passage?
O to inform readers about the history of Rome and
Sparta and how they built their empires
O to inform readers about the fates of the cities
conquered by the Spartans and the Romans
O to persuade readers that a conquering prince must
destroy a former republic if he hopes to hold it
Oto persuade readers that a republic will remember
freedom and someday rebel against a conqueror
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