Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. Cesare Borgia was considered cruel; notwithstanding, his cruelty reconciled the Romagna, unified it, and restored it to peace and loyalty. And if this be rightly considered, he will be seen to have been much more merciful than the Florentine people, who, to avoid a reputation for cruelty, permitted Pistoia to be destroyed.

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

With a historical example

Explanation:

Machiavelli was an Italian Renaissance diplomat, philosopher, and writer. He is often referred to as the father of modern political philosophy and political science.

In the given passage, he states that rulers must sometimes be cruel. The evidence he uses to support his claim is a historical example. He gives us an example of a historical figure, a real ruler - Cesare Borgia. He was cruel, but his cruelty brought peace to his country. In his case, it was better to be cruel than to be merciful and that way harm his people. This is how Machiavelli supports his opinion.

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