Throughout history there have been two main kinds of virtue

Throughout history there take for been two main kinds of sexual abstention. One is Platos, in which virtue is associated with attributes such as justice, wisdom, fortitude and moderation, and the another(prenominal) is Machiavellis, in which is associated with being the beat out at any given task. nearly reasons could line for this drastic change in the translation of virtue clothe forward by Machiavelli, but the more or less serious would be found in a consideration of the time period in which Machiavelli lived. This paper will explore how and wherefore Machiavellis idea of virtue came to be so different from the nonp aril Plato had before put forth. in that respect is ample enjoin to suggest that Machiavelli was familiar with the works of Plato. He was an avid reader of approximately subjects, especi altogethery those of a political nature. He was in any case an admirer of Ancient Roman bon ton and must stick been exposed to more a nonher(prenominal) antiq uated authors. There was also the situation that for all their intellectual advances in art, law, school of design and medicine, the Renaissance Italians were indebted to the ancients. Their practice of imitating those thinkers of ancient history conduct the Italians to rediscover many facts about the world, which were once only cognize to the ancients. Even so, Machiavelli chose to radically change the concept of virtue to an idea that is nearly the opposer of what Plato had in mind. (Wootton xiii)The concept of virtue that Plato had in mind was most readily move out in the conjure up. Although it is menti integrityd some(prenominal) clock passim the book, virtue generally comes to close an attribute of the concepts already explained above. Specifically, with regard to justice, which the Republic is most concerned with, virtue gist being just. For the citizens of a state to be immaculate, they must be just to their expletive citizens and the state itself, and for th e state to be just, it must attempt to run the most virginal state as possible.In the opening of Book I, Socrates gets into a debate with some of his fellow citizens about the meaning of justice. later Polemarchus picks up where Cepaluss argument left field off, Thrasymachus, who is getting fed up with Socrates systematically refuting the arguments of all who try, attempts to give his own definition of justice. He demands that Socrates give his own handbill of justice. precisely after some words, Socrates persuades Thrasymachus to put forward his concept of the virtue of justice. The account of justice that Thrasymachus finally gives is that justice is the expediency of the stronger. It is a sort of mite is aptitudeful argument in that whoever is ruling, and whatever they demand of their subjects must be obeyed. If the citizens do not obey, then they atomic number 18 being unjust. (Grube)The candidate of Thrasymachus is somewhat similar to Machiavellis view. In The Princ e, Machiavelli lays out his concept of virtue (which he calls virt) in chapter 6, which is entitled About new(a) kingdoms acquired with ones own armies and ones own skill virt. In the chapter, one is left with the impression that virt elbow room that quality which one is endowed with when they are the best at what they are doing. thereof a soldier is guileless when he is triumphful in defeating an army, or lucreing a new principality.As Machiavelli put it, The virtuous man is the man who has those qualities that leading to success in his chosen activity. For Machiavelli, a individual need not be wide to be virtuous. After all, Machiavelli condoned lying, treachery, cowardness, murder, anything necessary as long as it leads to victory in the chosen field. This idea of virtue is a far cry from that of Plato or Christianity, which had been the prescribed religion of Italy for twelve hundred years. (Wootton)In the corresponding chapter, Machiavelli full(prenominal)lights cer tain people who, in his opinion have been the most virtuous throughout history. He lists, Moses, Cyrus, Romulus, Theseus, and others like them, to install his case. He dismisses Moses skill because it is a skill derived from following the direct instructions of God. But he then goes on to talk of the others because they have all acquired existing kingdoms or founded new ones.Machiavelli admits that, the founders of new states have huge difficulties to overcome, and dangers beset their path, dangers they must overcome by skill and strength of purpose. But as he then goes on to say, the most virtuous, once they have overcome the dangers, and they have begun to be idolized, having got rid of those who were jealous of their top-notch qualities, they are established, they are powerful, secure, honored, happy. (Wootton)To understand wherefore Machiavellis concept of virtue whitethorn have been so different from that of Plato, one need look no that than to Machiavelli himself and the time period in which he lived. In the sixteenth part century, Italy was divided into many different, competing states. There was a near unalterable shift in alliances between the differing states that lead to having to be endlessly aware of the happening of danger from a neighbour state. There was no real security in Italy there were powerful people constantly vying for more power, and many of them willing to gain that power by any inwardness necessary. Under this system of chaotic statehood, diplomatistical officials, and military and political advisors had to constantly be alert for any new crisis that dexterity move previously friendly states to war. (Wootton)In most of these states in Italy, torture was authoritative as a legal path of obtaining confessions for crimes, or pursuing investigations into crimes. In 1513, Machiavelli had the untoward circumstance of finding himself under query in regards to his supposed plotting against the Medici family, who were then in control of the new presidential term in Florence. He was tortured on a contraption known as a strappado. This device is, at its simplest, a lasso thrown over a high beam.The prisoners hands are tied behind his back and he is then lifted up several(prenominal) feet in the air. If delivered to hang there for several hours or several days, he considers himself lucky. The other way of using the strappado is to allow the prisoner to fall until his feet almost billet the ground and then pull the lot tight. The result is generally two unconnected shoulders, and extreme pain. Machiavelli had this happen to him six propagation in the same investigation. Italy in the sixteenth century was not a pleasant place to live. (Wikipedia)Machiavellis political go had mostly to do with military planning. As a civil servant, his most primal achievement was in 1505-6, when, in Florence, he organized a militia to interchange the mercenaries upon which Florence had traditionally relied. He was at the same time a diplomat and trustworthy for traveling to several different neighboring states in attempts to keep the peace. (Wootton)In 1494, Italy was invaded and keep to be invaded on and off throughout the rest of Machiavellis life. And as diplomat and war advisor, his job was to find alliances in any way possible. This is the reason Machiavelli thought it so important not for a principle to live his life by principle, but powerfully.The Prince is an example of the way a tyrant would hold on to power. In modern day democratic theory, some people would argue that the need for all information to be made accessible to the public is necessary for the public to be able to decide which path in a particular situation the state should follow. According to The Prince the people should have no say in the direction of government and should never influence the rulers thinking, unless it would add to the rulers virtue.When considering the age in which Machiavelli lived and the event s and responsibilities he had in life, it is easy to understand why he would view virtue so radically different than Plato. When Machiavelli was so affect with the planning stages of military strategy, doing his best to not have Florence invaded by a head-on power, it may have been necessary to do and say things he knew were lies. And being in an environment like that, and trying to be good at what he was doing, led Machiavelli to develop a concept of virtue that was completely distinct.Works CitedGrube, G.M.A., ed. Republic. 1st ed. capital of Indiana Hackett, 1992.Strappado. Wikipedia. 08 Apr. 2006http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strappado.Wootton, David, ed. The Prince. 1st ed. Indianapolis Hackett, 1995.