How does the text structure the author convey his
central idea in this chapter?
read this passage from chapter 5 of the prince
there are, for example, the spartans and the romans
the spartans held athens and thebes, establishing there
an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. the romans, in
order to hold capua, carthage, and numantia, dismantled
them, and did not lose them. they wished to hold greece
as the spartans held it, making it free and permitting its
laws, and did not succeed
by describing the actions taken by the spartans and
the romans, machiavelli sets up a comparison with the
actions of other conquering forces discussed in the
chapter
by contrasting the outcome of spartan and roman
conquests, machiavelli provides evidence to support his
claim that a prince must destroy a free city in order to
hold it
by contrasting the goals of the spartans and the
romans, machiavelli establishes the problem of
maintaining control of a conquered city, to which he will
propose a solution
by listing the effects of these spartan and roman
conquests, machiavelli supports his overall description
of how princes do or do not maintain control over the

Second Option: By contrasting the outcome of Spartan and Roman  conquests, Machiavelli provides evidence to support his  claim that a prince must destroy a free city in order to  hold it

Explanation:

"The Prince" (published 1532) is a political treatise by Italian writer, philosopher, diplomat and political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli (1469 - 1527).

In Chapter five before these lines Machiavelli suggests three ways to control conquered states (or city states). The three methods are;

Next he also suggests that the best option is the first one i.e. to ruin such states.

In this passage Machiavelli is trying to give evidence to prove that the first option is the best option. For this purpose he gives example from Roman and Greek history.

First option is incorrect because, although he describes Spartans and Romans' actions, it is for the purpose of supporting his claim.

Third option is incorrect because, Machiavelli has already suggested the solutions of the problem; in these lines he is just trying to prove the effectiveness of his suggested solution.

Fourth option is incorrect because, the passage is not about description, but giving examples from the history to prove his claim.

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