Example Of Essay On Coriolanus as Machiavelli's Ideal Prince

Gaius Marcius Coriolanus-a Roman general existed in the 5th century BC. He was named Coriolanus due to his huge contribution in the Roman siege Corioli’s Volscian city. He was later promoted to a rank of a general. Historians readily accepted that Coriolanus was one historical person. Owing to this, historians such as Livy, Dionysius of Halicarnassus and Plutarch have retold this story.
Against the enemy tribe-the Volscians, He successfully led the city’s soldiers. Plutarch affirmed that the Roman aristocracy was represented by Coriolanus. After conquering the Volscians, He gained support from the Roman Senate patricians. He ended up in loggerheads with many people since He strongly disagreed with the plebeians’ democratic inclinations. Later, Coriolanus was charged with public funds misappropriation. He was convicted and expatriated from Rome. Due to this, He begrudged Rome and collaborated with the same Volscians He had formerly fought against. According to Plutarch, Coriolanus disguised himself and the Volscian palace lived by Tullus Aufidius. The now acknowledgeable Coriolanus appealed to Aufidius as a petitioner. He exhorted the Volscians to break their accord with Rome and initiated an invasion. When the Coriolanus Volscian soldiers looked daggers against the city, Roman matrons; his mother and wife included were sent to coax him to cancel the attack. He disengaged his troops from the border on the site of his mother, wife and children who fell at his feet in petition. He then went back to Antium which was Aufidius’ home city. This was viewed as an act of betrayal of trust to both the Volscians and Rome. Aufidius thus steered Coriolanus’ trial by the Volscians. However, he was executed before his trial was over.
According to Niccolo Machiavelli, an ideal prince should exhibit generosity especially to objects that do not belong to him. An example is things won on conquering an enemy after war. An ideal prince should be loved and feared as well. Just like a lion, He should posses the capability of discovering traps and avoid them. He should make a positive appearance of himself. He should be able to read the situation and act appropriately. He should show prudence hence fetch praises for him rather than blame.
Coriolanus seems to have possessed the above outlined qualities according to Niccolo Machiavelli. Having led the Roman troop against the Volscians, He must have been a brave and fearless person. Having climbed the ladder to the rank of a general, He must have shown a lot of prudence.
He goes against Machiavelli’s qualities of an ideal prince when he is charged by misappropriation of funds which leads to his execution. According to Machiavelli, an ideal prince should be generous and respect what doesn’t belong to him but the masses. An ideal prince should avoid deeds that attract negative perception. Coriolanus didn’t exempt himself from this since. He betrayes his country by liaising with the Volscians thus revolting against his own people.
As much as Coriolanus emulates the qualities, at some point He doesn’t.