In general, Machiavelli uses fortune to refer to all circumstances that human beings cannot control. Whether fortune obeyed God's will or was simply an impersonal natural force was a subject of debate throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. However, nowhere in The Prince is there any indication that one should try to transcend fortune; rather, we must confront it head on and bend it, if possible, to our own will. The Prince reads like a political manual on how to succeed. In his book, he instructs his reading public on the ways and means of absolute rule over others. He suggests that any new prince who successfully follows the advice found in The Prince will benefit from the stability of a hereditary prince, since men are more aware of the present than the past. Knowing the past is relevant not only for theoretical awareness but also for practical applications. Furthermore, knowing the past allows us to anticipate the future. Machiavelli does not hesitate to deplore that even politicians and analysts ignore the