Read this paragraph from chapter 5 of the prince.

there are, for example, the spartans and the romans. the spartans held athens and thebes, establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. the romans, in order to hold capua, carthage, and numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose them. they wished to hold greece as the spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did not succeed. so to hold it they were compelled to dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them. and he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. and whatever you may do or provide against, they never forget that name or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed, but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as pisa after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the florentines.

which statement best summarizes the central idea of the paragraph?

the spartans and the romans are alike in how they retain possession of newly acquired states.
the spartans and the romans are alike in their approach to ruling newly acquired states.
observing what happened to the spartans and the romans shows that it is best to destroy a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom.
observing what happened to the spartans and the romans shows that it is best to establish an oligarchy in a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom.

Spartans and the Romans are alike in their approach to ruling newly acquired states.

Observing what happened to the Spartans and the Romans shows that it is best to destroy a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom.

Observing what happened to the Spartans and the Romans shows that it is best to establish an oligarchy in a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom.

Observing what happened to the Spartans and the Romans shows that it is best to destroy a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom.

Explanation:

Niccolo Machiavelli's "The Prince" was a political treatise written in the vernacular Italian. In this treatise, Machiavelli talks on how a prince or any ruling power can safely secure any state or place without the concerning issues of revolts or oppositions from the masses.

According to Machiavelli, the acquisition of political power lies in the ways and methods that the individual exerts over the acquired/ proposed state. Stating the conducts of numerous great men, he includes examples of princely states that are systematically maintaining their rule. His practical guide to ruling includes the exertion of supremacy and power over places that seem to be overtly rebellious.

The given passage of Chapter 5, along with the consecutive chapters, are his offers of advice for various matters. The specific paragraph mainly states the importance of authoritarian power over a newly acquired state for its full co-operation. He states that, given what had happened to the Spartans and Romans, it is best to destroy a state newly acquired for they are more prone to oppositions to the new authority. Since being accustomed to being free and having their own voice will make it hard for the new ruler to maintain order and keep his authority.

there is no paragraph seven here.