Editing The Prince (section)

====Reputation of a prince (Chapter 15)====
Because, says Machiavelli, he wants to write something useful to those who understand, he thought it more fitting "to go directly to the effectual truth ("''verità effettuale''") of the thing than to the imagination of it". This section is one where Machiavelli's pragmatic ideal can be seen most clearly. Machiavelli reasons that since princes come across men who are evil, he should learn how to be equally evil himself, and use this ability or not according to necessity. Concerning the behavior of a prince toward his subjects, Machiavelli announces that he will depart from what other writers say, and writes: {{blockquote|Men have imagined republics and principalities that never really existed at all. Yet the way men live is so far removed from the way they ought to live that anyone who abandons what is for what should be pursues his downfall rather than his preservation; for a man who strives after goodness in all his acts is sure to come to ruin, since there are so many men who are not good.|sign=|source=}}
Since there are many possible qualities that a prince can be said to possess, he must not be overly concerned about having all the good ones. Also, a prince may be perceived to be merciful, faithful, humane, frank, and religious, but most important is only to ''seem'' to have these qualities. A ''prince'' cannot truly have these qualities because at times it is ''necessary'' to act against them. Although a bad reputation should be avoided, it is sometimes necessary to have one. In fact, he must sometimes deliberately choose evil: {{blockquote| He who neglects what is done for what ought to be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Machiavelli|chapter-url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Prince_(Hill_Thomson)/Chapter_XV|chapter=Chapter 15|title=The Prince|publisher=[[Wikisource]]}}</ref>}}