In chapter 14, Machiavelli emphasizes that preparing for war is the crucial task for the rulers by asserting that “A prince ought to have no other aim or thought, than war and its rules and discipline”. With the knowledge of the “art of war”, a prince can not only rule efficiently, but also keep his state in the long term, preventing ordinary citizens becoming rulers. To demonstrate, Machiavelli recalled that Francesco Sforza’s sons condescended to become private persons from dukes because they tried to avoid the difficulty and hardship of the arms instead of organizing and training them in order to get prepared. Lack of preparation of war induces the contempt of citizens and soldiers. If a prince loses the accountability, his people won’t
