The best type of ruler is a ruler that does not want to be a ruler. If someone is eager and insists that they should be in charge, then they are probably just power hungry and not actually a good ruler. When someone is not ruling for just power, then they are able to see how they can productively work to maintain power. Works such as the Apology, Allegory of the Cave, and Prince show and tell the readers the how to become good ruler, and how to maintain being one. A good ruler is a ruler that can be deceiving, fierce like a lion, sly like a fox, and be feared but not hated. A good ruler needs to be able to deceive others. By deceiving others the ruler can make sure that he is in power and manipulate others to do his bidding. “ … able to share in the double duty … get the habit of seeing in the dark … you will see ten thousand times better than the inhabitants of the cave and you will know what several images are … because you have seen the beautiful and good in their truth (Plato).” This quote from the Allegory of the Cave tells us that if you want to see even better, then you have to be able to see in both the brightness and the darkness. To a ruler, this means that he has to be able be both good and bad. If the ruler is like his enemy, then the ruler can anticipate what to do next or how he
“ … much safer to be feared than loved … men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, couvetors …(Machiavelli 79).” Machiavelli says that a ruler must be feared rather than loved because fear opposes more power to others. He also says you need to do this because men are bad beings. Men will try to take the power away from you because they will become jealous. To avoid these fear is needed. Machiavelli also says that a ruler should not be hated. If you are hated other people will not want you as their leader. As you gain respect, you also gain