Question

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince.

The first sentence lists specific conditions followed by what might eventually happen.
The first sentence uses the expressions “on the one hand” and “on the other hand.”
The second sentence starts with the expression “for this reason.”
The second sentence lists potential consequences of the situation described.
The second sentence describes the citizens of the conquered city.

Answer 1

Yes — those five observations correctly describe the opening of Chapter 5 of The Prince (translations vary slightly, but the structure and content you note are accurate).

- The first sentence does present alternative courses of action (specific conditions and what may follow).
- It is structured as a contrast — effectively “on the one hand” and “on the other hand” (one option is to ruin the city, the other to live there or leave it its laws under control).
- The second sentence typically begins with a phrase equivalent to “for this reason” in English translations, linking the practical choice to its consequences.
- That second sentence then lists the likely consequences of the situation (what will happen if one course is taken or not).
- And it does describe the citizens of the conquered city (their likely disposition, how they will accept or resist domination).

If you want, I can (a) give a commonly used public‑domain translation of the full passage, (b) paraphrase it more fully, or (c) analyze how different translators render those first two sentences. Which would you prefer?