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2 8 8 I n t e r p r e t a t i o n Volume 41 / Issue 3specifies their character. Hunting is a metaphor employed by Machiavellifor the activity of philosophizing. In chapter 14 of the Prince, for example,Machiavelli recommends that a prince “ought to be always out on the hunt,”in order to “learn the nature of sites—to know how the mountains rise, howthe valleys open, how the plains lie.” 17 In the dedicatory letter at the beginningof the Prince, Machiavelli excuses his apparent presumption in offeringan account of the nature of the prince to one who might be considered tobe a prince, by comparing the character of the prince and that of the peopleto mountains and high places, on one hand, and plains and low places, onthe other—just as one may best sketch the figure of a mountain from theplain and that of the plain from the mountain, so “to come to know well thenature of the people one needs to be a prince and to know well that of princesone needs to be of the people.” This analogy may be inadequate to dispel theappearance of presumption, but it is perfectly sufficient to inform the readerof the fact that Machiavelli employs “the knowledge of sites” as a metaphorfor the knowledge of the various natures of men—high and low.“Hunting,” or philosophizing, then, is the means to “knowledge ofsites” or the capacity to discriminate among the variety of natures or kindswithin the apparently general species “man.” Only one who has gained suchknowledge of sites through the constant practice of “hunting” will be able,as did Philopoemen, prince of the Achaeans, to confront all accidents withthe proper remedy. 18 Only one who has knowledge of human nature will beable, in ambiguous times of decline and possible renewal, to seize upon suchaccidents and bring forth the good of renovation from the evil of the destructionof the old order. Knowledge of nature is that without which the discoveryand founding of new modes and orders must prove impossible. Lacking thisknowledge such discovery must be stymied by the obstacles confronting theattempt, for “it is no less dangerous to find new modes and orders, than toseek unknown waters and lands.” The danger of this discovery springs fromthe “envious nature of men.” 19 The envious are above all those who benefitfrom the old orders. They will oppose the discoverer and the founder of newmodes and orders at every step. The capacity to thwart the opposition of theenvious is dependent upon a deep and extensive knowledge of the terrainupon which one must combat them—the minds or souls of men.17See also Discourses, 3.3918Machiavelli, The Prince, chap. 14.19Machiavelli, Discourses, Preface.