# Chapter XLV explained — Discourses on Livy

> Chapter companion for Discourses on Livy by Niccolò Machiavelli.

## What happens

This chapter discusses the dangerous precedent of a lawmaker violating his own law, using the examples of Appius Claudius in Rome and Girolamo Savonarola in Florence. It also warns against the harm of continually renewing punishments against individuals, which keeps citizens in fear and can lead to rebellion.

## Themes in this chapter

### Leadership and Moral Character

The chapter highlights the hypocrisy and poor judgment of leaders like Appius and Savonarola who break laws they themselves established.

### Necessity and Reason of State

Discusses the political necessity of either avoiding injury altogether or inflicting it all at once to prevent prolonged fear and unrest.

## Character check-ins

### Appius Claudius

Cited by Virginius, dragged to prison, and committed suicide before trial; his violation of the law he helped create is condemned.

### Girolamo Savonarola

After passing a law of appeal in Florence, he allowed it to be violated shortly thereafter, damaging his reputation and credibility.

## Key lines

> nothing, I think, is of worse example in a republic, than to make a law and not to keep it; and most of all, when he who breaks is he that made it.

There is no worse precedent in a republic than for the lawmaker to violate the law, especially one he himself created.

_Machiavelli emphasizes the corrosive effect of hypocrisy in leadership._

> we should either altogether avoid inflicting injury, or should inflict every injury at a stroke, and then seek to reassure men’s minds and suffer them to settle down and rest.

It is better either to never harm people or to do all harm at once, then calm them so they can recover.

_Advice on the strategic use of punishment to avoid prolonged fear and rebellion._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/discourses_on_livy_se/chapters/xlv
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/discourses_on_livy_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/discourses_on_livy_se/chapters