Chapter VIII + XVII give a unified doctrine: cruelty committed all at once, in one blow, becomes safety; cruelty committed day-by-day, in increments, becomes hatred.
How it's structured
Verbatim core> "Cesare Borgia was considered cruel; notwithstanding, his cruelty reconciled the Romagna, unified it, and restored it to peace and loyalty…
The doctrineAgathocles / Cesare Borgia are the canonical examples.