What makes you think he is an idiot?
That’s what keeps occurring to me.
His fate was obvious from he beginning but he went there with such impediment that's quite strange he's stil' breathing.
My question is how this relates to the words “The Prince” ? Is that a reference to Machiavelli? Or Prince Myshkin from Dostoyevsky or some other Prince? A novel, a poem… I just want to know what in particular the words “the prince” refer to here?
He advices the Prince to secretly send a general there and execute everyone in some cities without exception.
Then he advices him to execute the general for being "rogue", overly zealous, and punish him for what he did.
The Prince is strong, so there can't be a rebellion. The prince is just too, he can't allow bloodbaths against his beloved subjects... etc.
I don't know for sure what the heck they're doing there, but this man doesn't seem to be aware of being a pawn.
They can say later that it was a deception whatsoever but he's still a pawn.