Editing The Prince (section)

====Gaining honours (Chapter 21)====
A prince truly earns honour by completing great feats. [[Ferdinand II of Aragon|King Ferdinand of Spain]] is cited by Machiavelli as an example of a monarch who gained esteem by showing his ability through great feats and who, in the name of religion, conquered many territories and kept his subjects occupied so that they had no chance to rebel.
Regarding two warring states, Machiavelli asserts it is always wiser to choose a side, rather than to be neutral. Machiavelli then provides the following reasons why:
* If your allies win, you benefit whether or not you have more power than they have.
* If you are more powerful, then your allies are under your command; if your allies are stronger, they will always feel a certain obligation to you for your help.
* If your side loses, you still have an ally in the loser.
Machiavelli also notes that it is wise for a prince not to ally with a stronger force unless compelled to do so. In conclusion, the most important virtue is having the wisdom to discern what ventures will come with the most reward and then pursuing them courageously.