Lehal Library

literally: ‘fortune is woman and it is necessary wanting to keep her underneath to beat her and shove her’ – ​there is an obvious sexual reference. The phrase comes in the last paragraph of The Prince proper (the closing exhortation is very much a piece apart) and Machiavelli wants to go out on a strong but, as he no doubt saw it, witty note. Here is Marriot’s version of the whole last paragraph: I conclude, therefore, that fortune being changeful and mankind steadfast in their ways, so long as the two are in agreement men are successful, but unsuccessful when they fall out. For my part I consider that it is better to be adven- turous than cautious, because fortune is a woman, and if you wish to keep her under it is necessary to beat and i­ ll-­use her; and it is seen that she allows herself to be mastered by the adventurous rather than by those who go to work more coldly. She is, therefore, always, ­woman-­like, a lover of young men, because they are less cautious, more violent, and with more audacity command her. And Bull’s: I conclude, therefore, that as fortune is changeable whereas men are obstinate in their ways, men prosper so long as fortune and policy are in accord, and where there is a clash they fail. I hold strongly to this: that it is better to be impetu- ous than circumspect; because fortune is a woman and if she is to be submissive it is necessary to beat and coerce