Question

What is Machiavelli’s secondary purpose in writing this passage?

to inform readers about the history of Rome and Sparta and how they built their empires
to inform readers about the tactics Sparta and Rome used to hold cities and their effectiveness
to persuade readers that a conquering prince must destroy a former republic if he hopes to hold it
to persuade readers that a republic will remember freedom and someday rebel against a conqueror

Answer 1

to persuade readers that a republic will remember freedom and someday rebel against a conqueror

Machiavelli uses historical examples to show that populations accustomed to liberty are likely to resist and eventually rise up, which supports his primary advice about how a prince must deal with conquered republics.