Virtù is a concept most notably theorized by Niccolò Machiavelli centered on the martial spirit of a population or leader, but also encompasses a broader collection of traits necessary for maintenance of the state and "the achievement of great things." Virtù, for Machiavelli, was not equivalent to moral virtue, but was instead linked to the raison d'État. Indeed, what was good for the state and for the leader may be contradictory to that which is morally good. Virtù encompasses and includes all the virtues. A person must be virtuous in every area before he can be said to have achieved virtù.
Virtu is derived from the Latin virtus, itself from man. It describes the qualities desirable for a man, which might not be same as virtue. Virtu includes pride, bravery, strength and an amount of ruthlessness.
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