Author: Jeffrey Skevington

Niccolo Machiavelli’s “The Prince, ” originally published in 1532, is often pointed to as a manual for underhanded dealings, both in politics and business. However, there is a larger motivation behind Machiavelli’s writings, and a deeper understanding may be had of the advice he provides to those in power.

In this chapter we discuss some uncomfortable questions. Mainly “How do we regard prowess when the physical ability begins to wane?”

If you are in a combative sport, you deal with fatigue and injury your whole career. There is an inevitable point when physical skills deteriorate, and injuries weigh more heavily. How do we compensate for diminished strength or speed? What other virtues and skills can we bring to the fore?