Fortuna, loosely
translated as "fortune", and virtu loosely translated as "virtue", are two of the most compelling concepts
Machiavelli explores in his classic work, "The Prince." Written as a tribute to Lorenzo de Medici in 1513, the book was a look at religion, politics, and society at the beginning of the Renaissance in Italy. The paper examines the relationship between the two
concepts and concludes that fortune and virtue are not easy to attain, but once they are attained, they must be used wisely, or they can corrupt and foul society and the political system.