The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli: Final Review

Everytime I heard (or read) the word ‘Machiavellianism’, my mind would involuntarily relate it with cunning aspects. That’s why I had a doubt while deciding to add The Prince into my reading list. But, I was so curious about this book, and so I braced myself to pick it for my History Reading Challenge. I am glad I did it, because it turned out to be interesting; it widened my perspective of state’s ruler and power.

Machiavelli wrote The Prince to Lorenzo Di Medici as a guidebook for a prudent prince to keep his state prosperous.

“…for in the same way that landscape painters station themselves in the valleys in order to draw mountains or high ground, and ascend an eminence in order to get a good view of the plains, so it is necessary to be a prince to know thoroughly the nature of the people, and one of the populace to know the nature of princes.”

Although Machiavelli wrote especially of monarchy, most of his guides also benefit modern republican states. I have made a diagram of monarchy models, how to achieve and maintain it. But what I like most is his guides for being a prince, or a ruler. Some of his ideas are too unconventional and even cynical, that people put negative labels to Machiavelli. But I think we ought to separate our ideal with the prosperity of a country or state. I believe that stability is the key to prosperity, as without it, any rulers—competent though he was—would have difficulty to do anything. So, I agree with Machiavelli, that to be feared is more important for a ruler than to be loved; to be slightly miserly is better than to be overly generous. Because people, who love you in better times, could easily become your haters when things gone badly, and who knows….what would happen then? Whereas if you are feared, you can put stability over your state more easily, while at the same time you are trying to bring prosperity to your people.

In conveying his principles, Machiavelli seemed to be lack of consciences or morality. He advised us to always be good, but must be able to do evil when necessary—to be fox and lion at the same time. But, again, I think it is reasonable. To deal with vast multitude in a country is not a simple task; stability is always the key. Thanks to Machiavelli, now I understand these things; that seeking the right ruler is far different from having an ideal patron. Here are more of his analysis.

The Prince is not purely a history. Although Machiavelli used actual histories—mainly Italian rulers, but also other European ones, and even Greek and Roman’s leader—this book is more focusing on politics and power guide book and philosophy. Machiavelli’s analysis is thorough and sharp, and his writing is brave and blunt. But that makes this book more interesting…and classics!

Three and a half stars for The Prince.

~~~~~~~~~~

I read the Signet Classics paperback edition

This book is counted as:

3^rd book for History Reading Challenge 2014

3^rd book for Back To The Classics 2014 (A Classic by an Author Who Is New To You)

70^th book for The Classics Club Project

17^th book for WEM Self Project

Antony and Cleopatra – Final Review

This is my second Shakespearean tragedy after Julius Caesar, and while we are still entertained with wars—though not as flourish as Julius Caesar’s—we are also spoiled with stories of love and lust, loyalty and betrayal, nobleness and dirty politics; all bitters-and-sweets in human’s live.

I believe Antony was a great general, he fight with his soldiers; not just watched and gave orders from the camp (compare this with Octavius who pointed Agrippa to lead the army), and for that his soldiers loved and respected him—well at least before he was crazy. He was a gentleman of his time, always treated his soldiers fairly, and his friends loyally. However—as every man must have his weakness—Antony could not resist love charm; and in this case, the charm has a name: Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt.

From the beginning of the play we can see that Cleopatra was an obsessive woman, she kept asking Antony how much he loved her. If one does not know her reputation, one might think she was just like any other silly young girl who was in love. But I believe this was not the case of Cleopatra. I think she was an ambitious, self-possessed and even cunning woman—you could not become a queen at that time if you did not possess those qualifications—and for her, to keep her throne was more important than to win a man’s heart. I think, after Caesar’s death, Cleopatra needed an allegiance to protect her interests, and she had chosen Antony.

On the contrary, Mark Antony had really fallen in love and trapped into Cleopatra’s charm, that he neglected his duty as the ruler of one third of the world, leaving the young ambitious Octavius worked alone (with Lepidus) in Rome for his own interests. This was Antony’s biggest fault, to let his heart controlled his brain. However, with a woman so charming and determined like Cleopatra, it’s difficult for Antony to avoid his faith.

Cleopatra on the Terraces of Philae
by Frederick Arthur Bridgman, 1896

I loved this play a lot, it has all you can ask for an exciting reading; history, romances, politics, wars and witty dialogues now and then. I always love Roman history, so I don’t have any trouble of loving this one too, plus I think I’m a new fan of Mark Antony, although Cicero is still (for me) the best. One thing I don’t like from this play, is how Cleopatra was portrayed here by Shakespeare. I think, except for once or twice when she was really angry and in the last chapters, one will think Cleopatra was a spoiled teenager who was madly in love.

I am still wondering whether Cleopatra had betrayed Antony as Antony had accused her. If not, why had the Egyptian deserted their master twice, first in Actium battle, second near Alexandria? And Cleopatra never gave Antony any reason why she had instructed her army to abandon him in Actium, nor did she defend herself when Antony accused her after the last battle; she just left him and hid in the monument.

Assuming that Cleopatra was innocent and she hid herself merely afraid of Antony’s rage, why did she send her eunuch to tell Antony that she had died, but then sent another messenger to say that she was still actually alive? Did she send the first one because she knew how Antony would react if he heard about her death—thus keeping her promise to Caesar; then sent the second one because she was in fact still in love to him? Oh what a complicated woman!

The label of “hero of this play” I think must be granted to Eros, who—when was instructed by Antony to kill him—chose to end his own life because he could not kill his own master, but he did not want to disobey him either. Antony did not have the courage to kill himself and must ask his men’s help, but Eros stabbed himself without any doubt. Antony killed himself as a result of his own conducts, but Eros killed himself merely of his infinite loyalty to his master.

“My dear master,

My captain, and my emperor, let me say,

Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell.

(stabs himself) Thus I do escape the sorrow

Of Antony’s death.”

I have enjoyed this play until Mark Antony died. After that, it’s like an anticlimax for me. I did not really want to know how Cleopatra will end her life (for I had already know the facts), and what Octavius would do. Act V was the most boring part of this play, and for that—and for absurdity in Cleopatra’s manner—I granted four stars for Antony and Cleopatra. Although this play was slightly interesting than Julius Caesar, but all in all, I liked Julius Caesar more.

You can read my post for each act: Act I - Act II - Act III - Act IV - Act V

The Palace of Dreams (Istana Mimpi)

[conclusion is at the bottom of this post]

“Setiap orang yang menguasai daerah kegelapan dalam diri manusia akan memiliki kekuatan yang luar biasa.”

‘Daerah kegelapan’ di quote tersebut dapat kita asumsikan sebagai mimpi. Maka setiap orang (atau institusi) yang menguasai mimpi manusia, akan memiliki kekuatan luar biasa. Dalam kisah realism-magis karya Ismail Kadare ini, kekaisaran Ottoman yang meraja di abad 19 memiliki institusi yang disebut Istana Mimpi atau Tabir Sarrail. Di Tabir Sarrail, mimpi dari seluruh masyarakat se-kekhalifahan dikumpulkan, disalin, dipilah-pilah, kemudian ditafsirkan. Dari mimpi-mimpi itulah Sultan atau pemimpin kekhalifahan mengetahui kondisi kekhalifahan yang dipimpinnya; mirip dengan dinas inteligen dalam suatu negara.

Mark-Alem adalah seorang pemuda pemalu dan penggugup yang kebetulan merupakan anggota keluarga Quprili—keluarga paling berpengaruh yang banyak menempatkan anggotanya dalam jabatan-jabatan tinggi di kekhalifahan. Antara Sultan dan keluarga Quprili selalu ada permusuhan, gara-gara kecemburuan Sultan terhadap keluarga Quprili yang kisahnya sering disebut-sebut dalam epik di Albania maupun Serbia, sementara tak pernah ada orang menciptakan epik tentang sang Sultan sendiri. Dalam kondisi ini, Mark-Alem tiba-tiba mendapati dirinya diterima bekerja di Tabir Sarrail sebagai staf bagian Penyortiran. Mark yang tak tahu apa-apa, selalu kebingungan dari awal bekerja, tak tahu apa yang harus dikerjakannya, tiba-tiba saja karirnya melesat dengan cepatnya. Meski ia perlahan-lahan menyadari bahwa keberadaannya di Tabir Sarrail adalah karena kepentingan politik keluarganya, ia tak tahu apa yang mereka harapkan darinya. Hingga terjadilah sebuah malapetaka bagi keluarga Quprili, dan saat itulah Mark menyadari betapa besar kekuasaan sebuah mimpi terhadap jatuh bangunnya sebuah kekuasaan!

Buku ini berkisah tentang kediktatoran, di mana sebuah institusi dapat mengontrol bukan hanya kehidupan rakyatnya, namun hingga hal pribadi seperti mimpi. Aku masih saja bertanya-tanya, bagaimana kekhalifahan dapat ‘memperdaya’ rakyatnya untuk mengirimkan mimpi-mimpi mereka? Tak sadarkah mereka bahwa itu melanggar hak asasi mereka? Apalagi pasti sudah banyak kasus para pemimpi yang mimpinya bersifat ‘berbahaya’ hilang lenyap tanpa pernah kembali ke rumahnya setelah diinterogasi di Tabir Sarrail. Pertanyaan kedua, bagaimana penguasa dapat memastikan bahwa mimpi yang dikisahkan itu adalah mimpi sebenarnya yang dialami pemimpi? Atau justru, bagaimana mereka dapat memastikan bahwa mimpi itu bukan rekayasa salah satu pihak untuk menjatuhkan mereka?

Kalau demikian halnya, pertanyaan terbesarnya: Sebenarnya siapa yang menguasai siapa? Kekhalifahan menguasai rakyat karena mengontrol mimpi mereka? Ataukah mimpi-mimpi milik rakyat itu yang justru menguasai kekhalifahan, karena Sultan begitu percaya (dan takut)nya pada mimpi-mimpi itu? Ironisnya, lewat Istana Mimpi Sultan berhasil menyerang keluarga Quprili, namun justru lewat Istana Mimpi pula kurasa keluarga ini—lewat Mark-Alem yang akhirnya menjadi Kepala Istana Mimpi—akan berbalik mengalahkan sang Sultan. Sang Sultan boleh saja tetap penguasa kekhalifahan, namun bukankah siapa yang menguasai mimpi berarti memiliki kekuatan luar biasa?

Sebuah penggambaran metafora yang indah dari Ismail Kadare tentang kediktatoran yang menguasai pikiran, namun aku merasa kisah ini lemah sebagai fiksi karena ceritanya melompat begitu cepat, tanpa keterangan apakah dari scene sebelumnya ke scene berikut berjarak hari, bulan atau tahun. Mark-Alem mulai bekerja setelah lulus kuliah, namun di akhir kisah ia tiba-tiba berusia 28 tahun, jadi apakah rentang waktu antara ia mulai masuk Tabir Sarrail hingga menduduki posisi puncak memakan waktu bertahun-tahun? Di sini Ismail Kadare kurang teliti dalam merakit cerita, mungkin justru dengan sedikit melebarkan plot, beliau akan menghasilkan cerita yang lebih berkesan.

Tiga mimpi untuk Istana Mimpi!

Judul: Istana Mimpi (judul asli: The Palace of Dreams)

Penulis: Ismail Kadare

Penerjemah: Fahmy Yamani

Editor: Adi Toha

Penerbit: Serambi Cerita Utama

Terbit: Juni 2012

Tebal: 274 hlm

Conclusion:

The Palace of Dreams is a magic-realism story by Ismail Kadare about how the dictatorship of Ottoman Kingdom in 19^th century oppressed its people by controlling their dreams. Everyone must send details of their dreams to be noted, sorted and interpreted by an institution called The Palace of Dreams or Tabir Sarrail, which was run by the Sovereign. These dreams are powerful tools for the Sovereign to keep updated about every movement among the Kingdom; some kind of intelligence agencies.

The protagonist is Mark-Alem, a young man who was just graduated and found a job inside the Palace of Dreams; this story was told from his point of view. Later on he realized that he was placed there by his powerful family—the Quprili—who had the biggest influence in the whole Kingdom, that even the Sovereign was terrified of them. Mark worked at the Selection department, and one day he found a specific dream. He did not know what to do with it or how to interpret it. Little did he know that that particular dream would cause a huge blow for someone he loved; if only he had known what that dream was about when he was in charge of it! What had happened to the Quprilis only confirmed that who holds people’s dream, has the biggest power on his hands. And poor Mark-Alem, despite of his career leap from the Selection department to the highest level in Tabir Sarrail, was only a helpless pawn in a power war between Quprili family and the Sovereign.

This is quite an interesting story but there are few things that I did not really get it. Firstly, how the Kingdom forced people to voluntarily send every personal dream they had? Didn’t it occur to the people that that practice was against their human rights? They could have lied that they rarely had a dream; who could proof it? Secondly, how did the Sovereign make sure that the dreams received by Tabir Sarrail were not fake dreams written by whomever against them? If they were so affected by the dreams, that the Sovereign used them to make his decisions, how absurd it was! Didn’t it mean that the dreams have controlled the Sovereign rather than the other way?

The story’s idea is OK, but I think Kadare should have widened the plot to make it flow more naturally. There are no signs of time setting in this book, I did not know whether Mark-Alem has been working for weeks or month or years before he was promoted to a higher level. He started his career straight after his graduation, however he was already twenty eight when the story ended. Did it mean all of these had happened for years? I don’t know…

Three stars for The Palace of Dream, the first Albanian literature I have ever read! [I read the Indonesian translation edition]