Read this passage from chapter 10 of The Prince.

Therefore, a prince who has a strong city, and had not made himself odious, will not be attacked, or if anyone should attack he will only be driven off with disgrace; again, because that the affairs of this world are so changeable, it is almost impossible to keep an army a whole year in the field without being interfered with. And whoever should reply: If the people have property outside the city, and see it burnt, they will not remain patient, and the long siege and self-interest will make them forget their prince; to this I answer that a powerful and courageous prince will overcome all such difficulties by giving at one time hope to his subjects that the evil will not be for long, at another time fear of the cruelty of the enemy, then preserving himself adroitly from those subjects who seem to him to be too bold.

Which statement best summarizes the central idea of the passage?

Cities with the best defenses have little territory around them.
Strong fortifications will not deter a resolute army.
A prince must abandon his city during an attack.
A prince should reassure his subjects during an attack.

In these lines, Machiavelli is highlighting the qualities that a prince should have when he is faced with an attack from a foreign enemy. He tells us that regardless of the situation that the prince faces, if he is valued by his people and has a strong city, it would be very difficult to defeat him. The way to maintain respect, however, is to effectively reassure his people. He should tell them that the attack will be over soon and that the difficulties will not last long.