Dante Alighieri's Inferno and Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince are two works from the religious culture of Italy; but apart from that, the two, in terms of message, seem to be as different as night and day, as each is distinguished from the other in the way it presents the nature of morality to its readers. For Dante, morality is set in stone, something absolute in nature and directly linked to the maintenance of public order; Machiavelli, on the other hand, presents morality as being flexible in nature, a mere institution that is, ultimately, in the eye of the beholder, as well as an institution that has no real weight in real-world affairs , except when it can be used to one's advantage. But even though at first glance these two moral principles seem so different from each other, they are, in essence, similar for one reason: both, although coming from different periods, emphasize how morality is problematic. In short, despite the differences in the way the two works approach the question of morality, they both raise questions about the best – or wisest – way to live one's life. In order to fully understand how these two literary works differ in terms of the moral lessons they impart to their readers, it is necessary to have a solid understanding of the cultural events surrounding both works. To begin with, although the regions in which Dante and Machiavelli wrote are relatively close, the eras in which the two writers lived differ by about two hundred years. A lot can change in two centuries, and that is most certainly the case in this case. For example, the Catholic Church played an active role in political affairs at the time Dante wrote his Inferno, while the secular powers of Europe...... middle of paper ......lem with morality today as, I am sure, it was in the time of both Alighieri and Machiavelli. So, although they may seem very different, the two philosophies – one of a pious man and the other of a man who cares absolutely nothing about religion – are essentially haunted by the same question, although They are separated by two centuries and countless changes in history. the way people view religion and morality: is it possible for a person to seek happiness and security on earth and remain morally upright? In consideration of all this, then, I suppose that each of us has received an ultimatum from above: either sacrifice the happiness and security of the world in the name of justice, as Alighieri suggests, or follow the plan of action of Machiavelli and sacrificing justice for good. for happiness and security on earth. But for now there's no middle ground.