Right? Given how politics worked at the time - Gangs of partisans killing each other with swords in the streets, mercenary captains changing teams mid battle, brutal warfare with North Africa and, well, everyone else. It's got to be placed within the context of the brutality of it's time, and the development of political theory.

I've always really stuck to the always seek to be feared, be loved if you can, but take care not to be hated because people who fear you will obey, people who love you will endure hardships, but people who hate you will destroy themselves to destroy you. Always made a lot of sense to me.