Luck, Skill, and How to Master Both Fortuna and virtu are the two fundamental forces that determine political success in Machiavelli’s worldview. Fortuna represents fortune, luck, chance, the uncontrollable circumstances that shape outcomes. Virtu represents skill, ability, character, the qualities that allow individuals to seize opportunities and overcome obstacles. Political success requires both. Pure virtu without favorable circumstances accomplishes nothing. Pure fortuna without the ability to exploit it is wasted. The prince must understand how these forces interact and develop strategies for maximizing virtu while managing fortuna’s inherent unpredictability. These concepts had specific meanings in Renaissance Italy that differ from...