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You are at > Life in Italy > Culture > Niccolò Macchiavelli |
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You are at > Life in Italy > Culture > Niccolò Macchiavelli |
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Niccolò MachiavelliThe Life and Work of Niccolò Machiavelli"They were freer than their forefathers in dress and living, and spent more in other kinds of excesses, consuming their time and money in idleness, gaming, and women; their chief aim was to appear well dressed and to speak with wit and acuteness, whilst he who could wound others the most cleverly was thought the wisest." - Machiavelli When Medici returned, Machiavelli was accused of conspiracy against him. He was imprisoned and tortured till the new Medici pontiff, Pope Leo X, secured his release. It was then he turned to literature. His most famous work, Il Principe (The Prince) was written to try and improve the conditions in Italy. In 1520 he was commissioned to write the History of Florence at the request of Cardinal de Medici. This work took five years before completion. It was this work he took to Rome to present to Pope Clement VII (Giulio de' Medici). When the Medici family was against ousted from power, Machiavelli returned to Florence to try to regain his former office of secretary to the "Ten of Liberty and Peace". It was on this quest that he died after illness. Today the term "Machiavellianism" is seen to represent narrow self-interested behavior by interest groups. Machiavelli died, in Florence on June 22, 1527, and was buried in Santa Croce. A man of acute awareness, observation, dedication and literary genius. It was his work, The Prince, which is still read by high school literature students everywhere. After four centuries this work is still the constant debate over the rulers and those who are ruled. Its ethics can not be questioned and it will never go out of date. It was here that Machiavelli, who traveled to sit with Popes and was born of nobility, found his calling. Suggested Machiavelli Works: Discorso sopra le cose di Pisa, 1499 By Tina Samuels |
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