Question

How does the passage support Machiavelli's claim that a ruler must sometimes be cruel?

with an appeal to emotions
with a historical example
with anecdotal evidence
with empirical evidence

Answer 1

with a historical example

Machiavelli supports the claim by citing past rulers and their actions (e.g., Cesare Borgia, Agathocles, Romulus) to show how cruelty, when used decisively, brought stability or advantage — i.e., an appeal to historical precedent rather than emotion or scientific/empirical proof.