The Prince, Chapter 25 summary
Chapter 25 of 28 · 5 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 25, Machiavelli argues that fortune controls only part of human affairs, leaving room for preparation and action suited to changing circumstances. He uses Pope Julius the Second to show how boldness succeeds when conditions favor it, while warning that fixed habits become dangerous when conditions change.
What happens
- The speaker rejects complete dependence on chance and assigns human choice a substantial share of control over events.
- He compares fortune to flooding rivers whose destructive force people can limit through advance preparation.
- Italy illustrates the danger of lacking defenses against upheaval.
- Success depends on whether conduct fits circumstances, yet people rarely abandon habits that previously bring success.
- Pope Julius the Second advances against Bologna, unsettling opponents and drawing the King of France into support.
- The speaker concludes that changing fortune defeats inflexible conduct, but favors boldness over caution.
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Why does the King of France support Julius’s undertaking?
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“The Prince, Chapter 25 summary.” Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/pages/the-prince-chapter-25-summary.
Library of Alexandria. (2026). The Prince, Chapter 25 summary. https://libraryofalexandria.com/pages/the-prince-chapter-25-summary
“The Prince, Chapter 25 summary.” Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/pages/the-prince-chapter-25-summary.
@misc{the_prince_chapter_25_summary_2026,
title = {The Prince, Chapter 25 summary},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/pages/the-prince-chapter-25-summary}
}
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