Question

Prince

Answer 1

Answer:

To persuade readers that a conquering prince must destroy a former republic if he hopes to hold it.

Explanation:

In the passage, we can see that Machiavelli is saying how the Spartans took over Athens and Thebes, destroyed their democracy and established a new system of oligarchy. He continues on to say how the Romans dismantled the systems in Capua, Carthage, and Numantia. Both the Spartans and the Romans kept these colonies under their control because of such changes in the system.

Machiavelli is trying to convey how it is necessary to destroy the system that existed before in order to completely conquer a new territory.

Answer 2

To inform readers about the tactics Sparta and Rome used to hold cities and their effectiveness.