Throughout history, power in the hands of new leaders and how new leaders deal with power have been deeply analyzed topics; however, as Abraham Lincoln once said, “Almost all men can endure adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” In Mark Twain's idealistic novel A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court, the nature of power and government directly reflects many of the ideas presented in Niccolò Machiavelli's philosophical and nonfiction novel The Prince. These two writings intertwine authoritative concepts, including installing new leaders in the new state, defending the weak, rising to supremacy through fear, and never avoiding war to delay disputes. One of the principles of becoming a successful leader is how you come to power. In Machiavelli's The Prince, we read, "there are two more ways to become a prince... [one of] these is when one becomes a prince by some nefarious or evil means" (Machiavelli 35). A leader can maintain his rule if he familiarizes himself with citizens but continues to instill fear in them. In A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Hank, the main character, is known throughout Camelot for having become a widely acclaimed and feared wizard. After defeating Sir Sagramor and several other contenders, Hank is then challenged by several other knights at once when he says, "I raised both revolvers and aimed them: the stationary guests remained in position for about a good square moment, then they broken and fled. The day was mine. The knight errant was a doomed institution” (Twain 317-18). Hank does not behave loyally towards the knights or the people of Camelot. He uses his modern knowledge to outsmart them and scaring them into submission, which ultimately works to his advantage. Through this fear, they remain loyal to Hank for most of the novel. The idea that fear stimulates loyalty is true and portrayed