Summarize Machiavelli’s beliefs about what makes a great leader.

In one of The Prince’s key chapters, “On Cruelty and Clemency,” Machiavelli argues that it is safer for a prince to be feared than it is for him to be loved. He says that princes should be both men and animals, intellectuals and warriors. When it comes to animals, they should be both lions and foxes, with the lion representing sheer force and the fox representing wiliness. He says that a prince should be educated and notes, “a prince should read history and reflect on the actions of great men.” In order to be great, one must study the greats of the past, and in order to avoid pitfalls, one must examine the mistakes of failed predecessors.