In John Milton’s Satan shows a great deal of leadership throughout the book. There are many things that Satan says and does to get out of hell and becomes a leader. Satan can persuade many people to
follow him.
When Satan says”
So he with difficulty and labour hard
Mov’d on, with difficulty and labour hee;
But hee once past, soon after when man fell,
Strange alteration! Sin and Death amain
Following his track, such was the will of.
He states that he is moving on and just got out of hell and now explaining heaven. Now he is going to earth to get revenge. Machiavelli shows this when he says ” He must therefore keep his mind ready to shift as he winds and tides of Fortune turn, and as I have already said, he ought not to quit good courses if he can help it, but should know how to follow evil courses if he must…” Machiavelli is saying that you got to know how to follow the good courses but then also know when to get revenge and be evil.
We sunk thus low? Th’ ascent is easie then;
Th’ event is fear’d; should we again provoke
Our stronger, some worse way his wrath may find
To our destruction: if there be in Hell
Fear to be worse destroy’d: what can be worse.
Satan is saying that they have fallen so far to hell and they already have failed so what could happen that could be worse. They should have nothing to fear if they already have sunk to their lowest point. Machiavelli says”Nevertheless he ought to be slow to believe and to act, nor should he himself show fear, but proceed in a temperate manner with prudence and humanity, so that too much confidence may not make him incautious and too much distrust render him intolerable”. Machiavelli and Satan both are saying you should not fear anything.
Machiavelli is always saying that its always better to be a leader than a follower and when Satan says
To reign is worth ambition though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav’n
he is saying that it is better to reign in hell than serve in heaven. This quote is similar to what Machiavelli is always trying to say.
Machiavelli and Satan say many of things that are similar and different. Mostly they are trying to say you should never be feared, know when to be evil or good, and its better to be a leader than a follower. They both show good leadership skills in many different ways but can be compared to.