Machiavelli uses ‘’Fortuna’’to refer to all of different circumstances that human beings cannot control. In this case, it refers to all situations that a person may be incapable to control, but may happen. Essentially, it refers to the fortunes that a person is likely to get. Many things may happen in one’s lifetime that one does not have control or could not foresee happening. People get into such things without their knowledge and are likely to be seen as fortunes. There are good and bad fortunes that may come through in the course of life that one failed to control. A good case can be landing on a job where one was not qualified or did not apply, but got the job anyway (Machiavelli, 2013). Another case can be meeting a person who turns up to be nice and leads one to learn of a given opportunity to explore.
On the contrary, Machiavelli uses ‘’virtu’’ to refer to the human energy that stands in opposition to fortune. According to Machiavelli, virtu could be looked at the unseen human force directed to stand in opposition to the occurrence of fortune. For instance, if one’s fortune was through getting favor of powerful people, the force works against the person having access to the powerful people making it impossible for fortune to take place is referred to as ‘’virtu.’’ He also adds that ‘’virtu’’ may also go beyond just being a force or directed energy and be an action (Machiavelli, 2013). It includes the human actions that one may intentionally or unintentionally take place that may block a person from getting into a fortune or having access to fortunes.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Reference
Machiavelli, A. (2013). Discourses on Livy. London: ArtnowSro.
