The Prince Questions

In his chapter on luck, he writes that “a prince who depends entirely on Fortune comes to grief immediately she changes.” That said, a prince should adjust his behavior “to the temper of the times.” It is all about finding the happy medium, that precise balance between absolute individualism and an ability to adapt to the winds of change and to the mood of the era. Luck does play a major role in politics. Men have natural inclinations that are not easily adjusted, and in this case it is a matter of chance whether such temperaments fit the times or not.