What is a theme and explain it to me in your own words not a definition from google will make !

It is much safer to be feared than loved. . among the wonderful deeds of hannibal this one is enumerated: that having led an enormous army, composed of many various races of men, to fight in foreign lands, no dissensions arose either among them or against the prince, whether in his bad or in his good fortune. this arose from nothing else than his inhuman cruelty . . but without that cruelty, his other virtues were not sufficient to produce this effect. . that it is true his other virtues would not have been sufficient for him may be proved by the case of scipio, that most excellent man . . his army rebelled in spain; this arose from nothing but his too great forbearance, which gave his soldiers more license than is consistent with military discipline. –the prince, niccolò machiavelli machiavelli claims that “it is much safer to be feared than loved.” which type of evidence does machiavelli use to support his claim? answer : logical how does the author’s use of this evidence create meaning for the reader? answer : by using a historical event to prove the claim