Please complete this exam on a separate sheet of paper. All writing should follow the conventions of standard written English.

Task A: Choose five (5) of the following quotes from Chapters 15-26. For each one, write down your interpretation and response, including the quote in three to four sentences. Your response could be an agreement, disagreement, question, elaboration or connection (personal, contemporary, literary, historical, biblical). (15 points each)

Chapter 15-"A prince therefore who desires to maintain himself must learn to be not always good, but to be so or not as necessity may require."

Chapter 16-"A prince, then, …who would avoid becoming poor…should not mind incurring the reputation of being parsimonious (stingy); for that is one of those vices that will enable him to maintain his state."

Chapter 17-"A prince, therefore, should not mind the ill repute of cruelty, when he can thereby keep his subjects united and loyal…"

Chapter 18-"…but as men are naturally bad, and will not observe their faith toward you, you must…not observe yours to them…"

Chapter 19-"A prince becomes despised when he incurs by his acts the reputation of being variable, inconstant, effeminate…"

Chapter 20-"Now although I cannot pronounce any definite judgment as to these different ways of proceeding,…I will treat the subject in that general way of which it is susceptible."

Chapter 21-"A prince furthermore, becomes esteemed when he shows himself either a true friend or a real enemy…"

Chapter 22-"There are three sorts of intellect: the one understands things by its own quickness of perception; another understands them when explained by someone else: and the third understands them neither by itself nor the explanation of others."

Chapter 23-"There is no way of guarding against adulation, than to make people understand they will not offend you by speaking the truth."

Chapter 24-"For men are ever more taken with the things of the present than with those of the past…"

Chapter 25-"…the prince who relies entirely upon fortune will be ruined according as fortune varies…"

Chapter 26-"Here, then, is great justice; for war is just when it is necessary…when there is no hope in anything else."

Task B: How has your comprehension of The Prince changed (if any)? What do you think helped the most? What helped the least? What's one thing you can take away from this experience? (25 points)