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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Book Three, The Examples of Rome's Great Men, Sundry Remarks on Strategy, Tactics, New Devices and Discipline, Administrative Posts, Administrative Methods: The Rival Claims of Severity and Good Fellowship.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What should the reader consider as evil when Machiavelli is advising Princes to "recognize evils".
(a) Evil should be considered to be any influence which challenges the power of the Prince.
(b) Evil is anything with which a Prince does not agree.
(c) Evil is those human inclinations that cause them to act selfishly.
(d) Evil is those public reactions that oppose the Prince.

2. How does Machiavelli recommend a Republic deal with enemies that spring up within an empire?
(a) Princes should name appoint them to offices to leave their actions open to public scrutiny.
(b) He advises Princes to allow his supporters to conspire to assassinate the enemies.
(c) He recommends that efforts be made to temporize (compromise) them rather than crush them.
(d) He advocates smearing them with public proclamations about the threat they pose.

3. What support did Machiavelli use for his view of what he considers to be the worst example provided by leaders?
(a) Tribunes who called the army from foreign provinces and decommissioned its Captains.
(b) A recent denial of appeal by Girolamo Savonarola to five citizens sentenced to death after Savonarola wrote the law allowing appeals.
(c) The lawlessness that overtook Carthage as its Princes suspended harsh sentences for crimes against the State.
(d) A series of Caesars who named friends to be Captains.

4. Who were the Decemvirs?
(a) Officials who took their power in the last month of the year.
(b) Courtiers who gathered around the Caesars to protect them during times of festivals.
(c) The 12 Nobles who the Caesars appointed to help him manage the Empire.
(d) Ten citizens created by the Roman people to make the laws in Rome.

5. What does Machiavelli consider to be the means of someone rising from the bottom to gain a great fortune?
(a) Diligence and humility.
(b) Deceit and self preservation.
(c) Hard work and creativity.
(d) Force and fraud.

Short Answer Questions

1. How did Phillip of Macedonia avoid battles with Fabius Maximus?

2. Why does Machiavelli suggest wars should be quick with limited damage to the conquered City?

3. What, according to Machiavelli, did Epaminondas the Theban claim was most necessary and useful for a Captain?

4. What finally forced Phillip into battle with Fabius, according to Machiavelli?

5. Why does Machiavelli claim that the rule of the Caesars was preferable to the regime of the Decemvirs?

(see the answer key)

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