Aristotle’s great work, Nicomachean Ethics, presents a complex and sometimes overwhelming account of ethical virtue and the perfected nature of man. However, if one looks at the conflict inherent in ordering oneself to a telos, such as the pursuit of happiness or eudaimonia in Aristotle’s terms, then the prospect of sharing in or attaining Aristotelian virtue becomes less overwhelming and perhaps even inspiring for modern readers.

In this essay, I explore a claim that Socrates makes in Plato’s Gorgias where he professes to be the only true practitioner of the political art in Athens, the only true statesman. I argue that the Gorgias enables readers to have a greater understanding of how Socrates conceives his own purpose and relationship with Athens as a practitioner of the “true science of politics” as he calls it and as a skilled user of what he develops as the "true art of rhetoric." This ennobling art of rhetoric, which Socrates professes to be a practitioner of, is opposed to the sycophantic and flattering art propagated by Gorgias and others. Furthermore, I argue that the view of rhetoric and politics that Socrates develops in the Gorgias serves as a foundation for his actions and statements in the Apology of Socrates.

This qualitative study examined one perennial research question: What lessons from the works of Machiavelli can be taken into consideration to improve U.S. civil-military relations? A case for looking at Machiavelli’s works for solutions to improve military relations off the battlefield is established. This research found two primary themes within the realm of civil-military relations: civilian control of the military and the military doctrine and practices. The researcher examined and analyzed multiple forms of data, including the writings of Machiavelli, military policies, articles, reports from the department of defense, video recordings of interviews, legislation, and historical documents. The researcher analyzed Machiavelli’s The Prince, Discourses on Livy, Art of War, and secondary resources for La Cagione dell’Ordinanza to make conclusions. This research identified lessons from the works of Machiavelli to improve U.S. civil-military relations. The Machiavellian lessons included finding a balance of objective and subjective control of the military, ensuring the president is knowledgeable on military matters, placing an emphasis on conditioning our youth, funding weapons systems and equipment, and continuing to invest in the standing army. Limitations and Future research topics were suggested in the conclusion.Keywords: Machiavelli, civil-military relations, civilian control, military doctrine, task-organization