# XVIII: Concerning the Way in Which Princes Should Keep Faith explained — The Prince > Chapter companion for The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli. ## What happens Machiavelli argues that while it is praiseworthy for a prince to keep faith, experience shows that successful rulers often break their promises when it suits them. He introduces the metaphor of the lion and the fox, advocating for a prince to be both strong and cunning, and to appear virtuous while being ready to act otherwise when necessary to maintain the state. ## Themes in this chapter ### Pragmatism Over Morality Machiavelli argues that a prince must prioritize the security of the state over moral commitments like keeping faith, using deception when necessary. ### Human Nature and Its Exploitation The chapter relies on the assumption that men are inherently bad and will not keep faith, justifying the prince's own faithlessness. ### The Importance of Public Perception Machiavelli emphasizes that a prince must appear merciful, faithful, and religious, as men judge by appearances rather than reality. ## Character check-ins ### The Prince The central subject of the chapter, advised to use both law and force, and to appear virtuous while being prepared to act contrary to faith when necessary. ### Pope Alexander VI Cited as a master of deception who always found victims for his deceit, successfully using craft to achieve his aims. ### Niccolò Machiavelli The author, who presents his observations on princely conduct and the necessity of breaking faith for state maintenance. ## Key lines > Everyone admits how praiseworthy it is in a prince to keep faith, and to live with integrity and not with craft. Nevertheless our experience has been that those princes who have done great things have held good faith of little account, and have known how to circumvent the intellect of men by craft, and in the end have overcome those who have relied on their word. Though keeping promises is generally admired, successful rulers often break them and use cunning to outmaneuver those who trust them. _This introduces the central paradox of the chapter: virtue is praised but often abandoned in practice._ > Therefore it is necessary for a prince to understand how to avail himself of the beast and the man. A prince must know how to use both lawful human methods and forceful, animal-like tactics. _This metaphor of the centaur Chiron teaches the need for dual nature in ruling._ > A prince, therefore, being compelled knowingly to adopt the beast, ought to choose the fox and the lion; because the lion cannot defend himself against snares and the fox cannot defend himself against wolves. A prince must be both cunning like a fox to avoid traps and strong like a lion to scare off enemies. _The fox and lion symbolize the essential combination of intelligence and strength._ > Therefore a wise lord cannot, nor ought he to, keep faith when such observance may be turned against him, and when the reasons that caused him to pledge it exist no longer. A prudent ruler should break his promises if keeping them would harm him or if the original reasons for the promise are gone. _This is the core pragmatic advice of the chapter, justifying faithlessness when necessary._ > Alexander the Sixth did nothing else but deceive men, nor ever thought of doing otherwise, and he always found victims; for there never was a man who had greater power in asserting, or who with greater oaths would affirm a thing, yet would observe it less; nevertheless his deceits always succeeded according to his wishes, because he well understood this side of mankind. Pope Alexander VI was a master deceiver who always found people to trick, and his lies succeeded because he understood human gullibility. _This historical example illustrates the effectiveness of deception when skillfully applied._ > Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them. A prince does not need to actually be virtuous, but he must seem virtuous to others. _This emphasizes the importance of public perception over actual moral character._ > For this reason a prince ought to take care that he never lets anything slip from his lips that is not replete with the above-named five qualities, that he may appear to him who sees and hears him altogether merciful, faithful, humane, upright, and religious. A prince must always speak as if he embodies mercy, faithfulness, humanity, integrity, and piety, so that he appears virtuous to all. _This advises careful control of one's public image to maintain reputation._ > Everyone sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are, and those few dare not oppose themselves to the opinion of the many, who have the majesty of the state to defend them; and in the actions of all men, and especially of princes, which it is not prudent to challenge, one judges by the result. Most people judge by appearances, and the few who know the truth are too afraid to contradict the majority, especially when the prince's success justifies his actions. _This explains why maintaining a virtuous facade is more important than actual virtue._ > For that reason, let a prince have the credit of conquering and holding his state, the means will always be considered honest, and he will be praised by everybody; because the vulgar are always taken by what a thing seems to be and by what comes of it; and in the world there are only the vulgar, for the few find a place there only when the many have no ground to rest on. If a prince succeeds in conquering and keeping his state, his methods will be seen as honorable, because the common people are swayed by appearances and outcomes. _This reinforces the idea that success justifies any means in the eyes of the public._ > One prince of the present time, whom it is not well to name, never preaches anything else but peace and good faith, and to both he is most hostile, and either, if he had kept it, would have deprived him of reputation and kingdom many a time. A contemporary ruler constantly advocates for peace and honesty, yet acts against both, because keeping those promises would have cost him his reputation and throne. _This unnamed example shows the hypocrisy often necessary for political survival._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_prince_se/chapters/xviii-concerning-the-way-in-which-princes-should-keep-faith - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_prince_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_prince_se/chapters