Odysseus Pursuit Of Power In Machiavelli's The Prince

Several facets of the manner which Odysseus employs in his efforts to achieve his goal of reclaiming his power in Ithaca would be commended by Machiavelli. Judging the success of a prince by only considering the outcome of their actions is a theory Machiavelli poses on page 86 of The Prince. This particular passage at the top of the page explicates that it is not prudent to judge a prince on the means by which they came about their success; one is only to judge the ultimate result. Here, Machiavelli makes the argument that a prince must do whatever is necessary to secure and maintain power. This principle is prevalent in examining some of the actions of Odysseus on his journey to regaining his power. One such instance is when Odysseus resolves to conceal from the crew the fate that awaits a selection of their members when they sail beneath the cave

In expressing his opinions on a prince’s cruelty towards subjects on page 80, Machiavelli explicates that killing people is a permissible punishment because a son will forget about the murder of his father as long as his property is left untouched. However, later, on page 88, Machiavelli articulates that a prince must also refrain from attacking the honor of his subjects for fear of retribution. In killing every suitor, Odysseus assaults the honor of the noble houses of Ithaca. Massacring the sons of all the noble houses leaves Odysseus open to an uprising comprised of a coalition of the murdered suitors’ families as Odysseus realized when he orders that Penelope and Telemachus go with him to their farm to hide. In Machiavelli’s perspective, Odysseus acted rashly, in a fashion that inspires hatred, and leaves Odysseus venerable for an act of retaliation that has the potential to usurp his