Wolf Hall’s Triumphant Return

The masterly second installment of Wolf Hall retails permanent lessons in power.

“It is necessary for a ruler to know when to act like an animal and when like a man.” So says Niccolò Machiavelli in chapter 18 of The Prince. The animals he has in mind are the lion and the fox, because while “the lion does not know how to avoid traps,” the fox is good at “suspecting a trap.” And while “the fox is easily overcome by wolves,” the lion excels at “making the wolves turn tail.” Then, in a nice flourish, Machiavelli adds, “Those who simply act like a lion all the time do not understand their business.”