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Please explain “Machiavellian quality” in this sentence – The theory so frequently advanced that the character of William II is of a Machiavellian quality. My comments: Machiavellian quality is the quality of a politician. The typical politician, you know, is one who is clever and cunning and who will lie to you without batting an eye if he can profit from doing so. But first, word origin. Many English adjectives derive from real people. In this sentence – He was a protean character who constantly adapted to his environment – for example, the word “protean” (which means changing continually in appearance or behavior) derives from Proteus, an ancient Greek god who had the ability to change his shape at will. Machiavellian, on the other hand, refers to Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527), a multi-talented Italian who’s most known for his political philosophies. He was also a diplomat, musician and of course writer. Etymologically, his sixteenth-century contemporaries adopted and used the adjective Machiavellian (elaborately cunning), often in the introductions of political tracts offering more than government by “Reasons of State”… while contemporary, pejorative usage of Machiavellian (anti-Machiavellism in the 16th C.) is a misnomer describing someone who deceives and manipulates others for gain – Wikipedia. So therefore, remember, Machiavellism smacks of derogative connotations today. Make sure you use it on the right politicians. | 
