49, I reject!
*thumbs through some of his Philosophy notes* Ah... here's what I'm looking for: "The reason he wrote what he did was so he could be on the nice-side of the Medici family after they over-threw the Council of Ten, and arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and set him in the countryside."
*sets a copied section of his notes nearby.*
Niccolo Di Bernardo Dei Machiavelli (1469 – 1527) born when Lorenzo De Medici assumes power in Florence; after Lorenzo's death, the Council of Ten assumes power; at age 29 Machiavelli works as Secretary to the Court for 14 years; 1512, republic overthrown, Medici family reassumes power; Machiavelli arrestes, imprisoned, tortured, and released to the countryside; begins writing with hopes of finding favor with Medici family; dies 1527
During lifetime: many political upheavals; religious corruption; complicated shifts in power; leads to pondering of some kind of enduring political order
The Prince: set of prescriptions for successful management of state through procurement of power; power is good and should be sought and enjoyed, same for fame, reputation, and honor; ruthlessness may be exercised to achieve a desired end; a Prince should not worry if he is criticized for being cruel as long as subjects remain united and loyal; “It is far better to be feared than loved if you cannot be both.”; generality of people are simple and are easily deceived; “It is better to seem good than to be good.” = “Machiavellian”
Sorry for the breaking of some of the fun.