Niccolo Machiavelli: "It is Better to Be Feared Than Loved... If You Cannot be Both"

Summary

Niccolò Machiavelli, an Italian diplomat and political philosopher, is renowned for his influential work 'The Prince,' which advocates for political power through any means necessary. Born in Florence in 1469, Machiavelli experienced political turmoil firsthand, which shaped his pragmatic approach to politics. Despite facing imprisonment and torture, he continued to write, producing works like 'The Art of War' and 'Discourses on Livy.' His ideas on statecraft, devoid of ethics, have been both celebrated and criticized, with 'The Prince' becoming a cornerstone of modern political thought.

Takeaways

• 📚 Niccolò Machiavelli is renowned for his work 'The Prince', which is considered a cornerstone of modern political theory.
• 👥 Born in Florence in 1469, Machiavelli came from a middle-class family and was well-educated in the classics.
• 🏛️ Machiavelli's early political career involved the removal of a dominant religious figure and service in the government of Florence.
• 🌐 He observed the political landscape of his time, which was marked by frequent changes in power and influence.
• 🔍 Machiavelli's political insights were shaped by his interactions with figures like Cesare Borgia, who inspired 'The Prince'.
• 🏰 After losing his political position, he was accused of conspiracy, imprisoned, and tortured by the Medici.
• ✍️ During his exile, Machiavelli wrote several influential works, including 'The Art of War' and 'Discourses upon the First Decade of T. Livius'.
• 🎭 His play 'La mandragola' was a popular comedic work that reflected his view of human nature and societal dynamics.
• 🤔 The true intent behind 'The Prince' is still debated; some see it as a practical guide, while others view it as satire or a critique of tyranny.
• 📈 Machiavelli's ideas on politics and leadership have had a lasting impact on political philosophy and are still relevant in discussions of governance today.

Q & A

Who is Niccolò Machiavelli and why is he significant?

Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian diplomat, philosopher, and writer who lived over five centuries ago. He is significant because his work, particularly 'The Prince,' established him as the 'father of modern political theory' and continues to influence discussions of war, peace, and politics.

What is the main theme of Machiavelli's 'The Prince'?

The main theme of 'The Prince' is the pursuit of power as the ultimate goal, achieved through any means necessary, including cunning and ruthlessness.

What was Machiavelli's early life like?

Machiavelli was born in Florence in 1469 to a middle-class family. He began his education at the age of seven, studying grammar, rhetoric, and Latin, showing a particular interest in Livy's history of the Roman Republic.

How did Machiavelli's political career start?

Machiavelli's political career started in 1498 when he helped remove Girolamo Savonarola from power and was appointed to the second chancery of the republic, also serving as secretary to the Ten of Liberty and Peace.

Who was Cesare Borgia and how did he influence Machiavelli?

Cesare Borgia was the Duke of Valentinois, whose fight for political power was a major inspiration for Machiavelli's 'The Prince.' Machiavelli observed Borgia's tactics and strategies closely during his diplomatic missions.

What happened to Machiavelli after the Medici victory in 1512?

After the Medici victory in 1512, Machiavelli was left without a seat in office. In 1513, he was accused of conspiracy against the Medici, imprisoned, and tortured before being released and retreating to his country home.

What did Machiavelli do during his exile?

During his exile, Machiavelli authored several political writings, including 'The Prince,' and joined intellectual groups. He also wrote plays such as 'La mandragola' and a military treatise, 'The Art of War.'

Why was 'The Prince' not published until after Machiavelli's death?

'The Prince' was completed between 1513 and 1517 but was not published until 1532, likely due to its controversial content and the political climate at the time.

What is the significance of the term 'Machiavellian'?

The term 'Machiavellian' comes from Machiavelli's name and is used to describe someone who is unscrupulous, cunning, and willing to do anything to achieve their goals, reflecting the advice given in 'The Prince.'

How did Machiavelli's personal life influence his work?

Machiavelli's personal experiences, including his political career, exile, and interactions with powerful figures, greatly influenced his work, particularly his views on power and politics.

What is the legacy of Machiavelli's work today?

Machiavelli's work, especially 'The Prince,' continues to be studied and debated for its insights into political power and its influence on modern political thought.

Outlines

00:00

👑 The Life and Influence of Machiavelli

Niccolò Machiavelli, an Italian diplomat and political philosopher, is renowned for his work 'The Prince,' which is considered a cornerstone of modern political theory. Born in Florence in 1469, Machiavelli was exposed to political turmoil from a young age. His family was middle-class, affording him a solid education in grammar, rhetoric, and Latin. He entered politics in 1498, contributing to the removal of Girolamo Savonarola and later serving in the second chancery and as secretary to the Ten of Liberty and Peace. Machiavelli was deeply involved in domestic politics and diplomacy, meeting influential figures like Cesare Borgia, which greatly influenced his writing. After the Medici's rise to power in 1512, Machiavelli was ousted from his political position, imprisoned, and tortured. He was later released and retired to his country home, where he wrote 'The Prince,' 'Discourses upon the First Decade of T. Livius,' and 'The Art of War.' Despite his political writings, Machiavelli was unable to regain political favor and died disillusioned in 1527.

05:01

📜 The Impact and Interpretation of 'The Prince'

Machiavelli's 'The Prince' was a practical guide for rulers, advocating for the acquisition and maintenance of power through any means necessary. It was initially well-received but soon fell into disfavor, being viewed as a handbook for tyrannical rule. The work was unique for its time as it separated statecraft from ethics, introducing the concepts of 'virtu' (a prince's abilities) and 'fortuna' (the influence of luck). Critics have debated whether 'The Prince' is a satire or a genuine guide for rulers, with some suggesting it was a critique of Italian tyranny or a call for patriotism and sensible government. The book's candid language and use of metaphors contributed to its notoriety. It was eventually placed on the Papal Index of Prohibited Books in 1559 and became synonymous with ruthless political tactics, influencing figures like William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe, who depicted Machiavelli as an epitome of evil.

10:05

🎭 Machiavelli's Other Works and Legacy

In addition to 'The Prince,' Machiavelli wrote 'Discourses upon the First Decade of T. Livius,' which, unlike 'The Prince,' openly admired ancient governmental forms and expressed a strong republican sentiment. He also authored 'The Art of War,' the only historical or political work published during his lifetime, and 'Mandragola,' a comedy that reflected his view of history as an interplay of forces. Machiavelli's work has been influential in the development of empirical political science and has been studied for its historical context and original thought. His personal life included marriage to Marietta Corsini and six children. Despite the controversy surrounding his work, Machiavelli's legacy endures, with his ideas continuing to influence discussions on politics, war, peace, and ethics.

15:06

🏛️ Machiavelli's Philosophy and Modern Relevance

Machiavelli's philosophy, as presented in 'The Prince,' suggests that there is no ideal order to which society should conform, but rather that the right order is one that can persist over time. His emphasis on effective truth over abstract ideals marks a significant shift in political thought. Machiavelli's work raises important questions about the nature of politics, the role of ethics in public duties, and the potential conflicts between individual pursuits and public responsibilities. His ideas have been both celebrated and criticized, and they continue to be relevant in modern political discourse, challenging the notions of societal order and the relationship between power and morality.

Keywords

💡Machiavellian

The term 'Machiavellian' refers to the cunning, ruthless, and pragmatic approach to political power as advocated by Niccolò Machiavelli. In the video, it is used to describe the influence Machiavelli's ideas have had on unscrupulous politicians, suggesting that his work has been interpreted as advocating for the use of any means necessary to achieve and maintain power.

💡The Prince

'The Prince' is a political treatise written by Machiavelli, which is central to the video's narrative. It is described as a handbook that established Machiavelli as the 'father of modern political theory'. The book advises rulers on how to acquire and maintain power, often through ruthless means, and is a key example of Machiavelli's pragmatic approach to politics.

💡Niccolò Machiavelli

Niccolò Machiavelli is the historical figure and main subject of the video. He was an Italian diplomat, philosopher, and writer whose works have had a profound impact on political theory. The video discusses his life, political career, and his most famous work, 'The Prince', which outlines his ideas on power and governance.

💡Virtu

In the context of the video, 'virtu' is a concept from Machiavelli's political philosophy referring to the personal qualities of a leader, such as courage, shrewdness, and strength. It is portrayed as an essential attribute for a ruler to effectively wield power, as discussed in 'The Prince'.

💡Fortuna

'Fortuna' represents the element of chance or luck in Machiavelli's political philosophy. It is mentioned in the video as the unpredictable influence of fortune that can affect a ruler's success. Machiavelli believed that a good ruler must be able to adapt to the whims of fortuna.

💡Cesare Borgia

Cesare Borgia is a historical figure highlighted in the video as a model of a shrewd and effective leader, whose actions and strategies were an inspiration for Machiavelli's 'The Prince'. Borgia's fight for political power exemplifies the ruthless pragmatism that Machiavelli advocated.

💡Discourses on Livy

The 'Discourses on Livy' is another significant work by Machiavelli that is mentioned in the video. It is a detailed analysis of political theory and history, contrasting with 'The Prince' by showing Machiavelli's admiration for republican government and his belief in the potential for a well-functioning republic.

💡Medicis

The Medicis were a powerful family in Florence during Machiavelli's time, and they play a significant role in the video's narrative. After the Medicis came to power, Machiavelli lost his political position and later wrote 'The Prince' with the hope of regaining their favor.

💡Political Realism

Political realism is a school of thought in political philosophy that is closely associated with Machiavelli, as discussed in the video. It emphasizes the importance of power, military strength, and practical politics over idealism or morality, which is a central theme in Machiavelli's works.

💡Empirical Political Science

Machiavelli is credited with founding empirical political science, as mentioned in the video. This field is based on the observation and analysis of political behavior and institutions, rather than theoretical or moral considerations, which is evident in his pragmatic approach to politics.

💡Mandragola

La mandragola, or 'Mandragola', is a comedy play written by Machiavelli and mentioned in the video. It reflects his view of human nature and societal dynamics, using comedy to explore themes of deception and manipulation, which are also present in his political writings.

Highlights

Machiavelli's quote on fear and love as tools for rulers.

Machiavelli's influence on unscrupulous politicians in the modern age.

Machiavelli's background as the 'father of modern political theory'.

Machiavelli's birth and family life in Florence.

The historical context of Machiavelli's life, including the power struggles in Italy.

Machiavelli's early education and his interest in ancient classics.

Machiavelli's entry into politics and his role in removing Savonarola.

Machiavelli's political career and his work in the second chancery of the republic.

Machiavelli's diplomatic missions and his exposure to Cesare Borgia.

The Medici's rise to power and Machiavelli's subsequent fall from grace.

Machiavelli's imprisonment and torture by the Medici.

Machiavelli's retreat to his country home and the writing of 'The Prince'.

The publication history and initial reception of 'The Prince'.

The controversial nature of 'The Prince' and its eventual inclusion in the Papal Index of Prohibited Books.

Machiavelli's other works, including 'Discourses upon the First Decade of T. Livius' and 'The Art of War'.

Machiavelli's personal life, including his marriage and children.

Machiavelli's death and his legacy in political thought.

The ongoing debate about Machiavelli's true intentions in 'The Prince'.

The influence of Machiavelli on modern political theory and empirical political science.

Transcripts

“It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.”

You might agree with this statement if you fancy yourself a “Machiavellian.”

Italian diplomat Niccolò Machiavelli lived over five centuries ago but his influence

among unscrupulous politicians reaches into the modern age.

He is mostly known for writing The Prince -- the handbook that established him as the

"father of modern political theory."

Through its teachings -- power is the ultimate goal through any means necessary.

Formative Years

Machiavelli was born in Florence on May 3, 1469 to Bernardo di Niccolò Machiavelli,

a lawyer, and his wife, Bartolomea di Stefano Nelli.

He was the oldest son of his parents with two elder sisters, and a younger brother.

The Machiavelli family was an established, middle-class family; not particularly affluent

but with means to live a comfortable life.

Machiavelli was born during a tumultuous time in history.

One in which Popes regularly waged war against Italian city-states and political alliances

frequently changed.

This led to the rise and fall of many short-lived governments and shifting power centers.

France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire all battled for regional control and influence.

Not much is known about Machiavelli’s early life growing up in this environment.

And, few details were written or passed down about his boyhood.

We do know he began his elementary education at the age of seven and studied grammar, rhetoric,

as well as Latin.

Apparently he was well-versed in the ancient classics and among these, he highly prized

his copy of Livy's history of the Roman Republic.

Political Career

Machiavelli's first entered politics in 1498 and helped the political faction remove Girolamo

Savonarola, the then-dominant religious and political figure in Florence.

In the same year Machiavelli was appointed to the second chancery of the republic and

he also served as secretary to the sensitive government agency dealing chiefly with warfare

and foreign affairs known as the Ten of Liberty and Peace.

In his official capacity, Machiavelli participated in both domestic politics and diplomatic missions

to foreign governments.

These posts afforded him many opportunities over fourteen years to closely examine the

inner workings of government and to meet prominent individuals, among them the Duke of Valentinois

Cesare Borgia, whose fight for political power was a major inspiration for The Prince.

Machiavelli quickly gained political prominence and influence.

By 1502, he was a well-respected assistant to the republican head of state, Piero Soderini.

In 1512, the Medici, backed by Pope Julius II, used Spanish troops to defeat the Florentines.

After the Medici victory, the city-state and republic were dissolved and Machiavelli was

left without a seat in office.

The next year in 1513, the Medici accused him of conspiracy against them and imprisoned

and tortured him.

The form of torture was brutal.

Using ropes, Machiavelli was hung by bound wrists from the back, forcing the arms to

bear the weight of the body.

This form of torture is extremely painful and results in dislocated shoulders.

Machiavelli denied all of the allegations against him and was released after three weeks.

He retreated to his country home in Percussina and spent the time out of office authoring

his political writings that sealed his place in history.

During his exile, Machiavelli joined intellectual groups and wrote several plays, among them

La mandragola (Mandragola).

The play remained popular for many years with audiences.

His next effort, a military treatise published in 1521, entitled Libro della arte della guerra

(The Art of War), was the only historical or political work published during his lifetime.

“Discourses upon the First Decade of T. Livius” and The Prince were completed between

1513 and 1517.

Both were not published until after Machiavelli's death, in 1531 and 1532 respectively.

Though he was writing and having regular correspondence with others, Machiavelli’s true passion

in life was politics and he tried many times to win back favor with the Medici.

Machiavelli lamented his position in a letter to a friend, writing:

“When evening comes, I go back home, and go to my study.

On the threshold, I take off my work clothes, covered in mud and filth, and I put on the

clothes an ambassador would wear.

Decently dressed, I enter the ancient courts of rulers who have long since died.

There, I am warmly welcomed, and I feed on the only food I find nourishing and was born

to savour.

I am not ashamed to talk to them and ask them to explain their actions and they, out of

kindness, answer me.

Four hours go by without my feeling any anxiety.

I forget every worry.

I am no longer afraid of poverty or frightened of death.

I live entirely through them.”

In 1520, Machiavelli was made the official historian of Florence and was subsequently

entrusted with minor governmental duties.

His prodigious Istorie fiorentine (History of Florence) carefully plays down his republican

platform with the Medicean bias expected of him.

In 1525, Pope Clement VII recognized his achievement with a monetary stipend.

Two years later, the Medici were again ousted, and Machiavelli's hopes for advancement under

the revived republic dissolved.

They didn’t trust him.

Disheartened by his country's internal struggles, Machiavelli fell gravely ill and died, a disillusioned

man, his dream of an operational republic unrealized.

The Prince

Machiavelli wrote The Prince beginning in 1513 and completed it the following year.

It wasn’t published until after his death in 1532 and the first English translation

appeared in 1640.

The handbook was essentially a practical guide for how Lorenzo de’ Medici could restore

Italy (he dedicated the book to him).

It’s interesting and ironic that the fiercely republican Machiavelli would write a how-to

guide for an autocratic leader.

Some critics have suggested The Prince is actually satire.

Machiavelli was acutely aware, however, of foreign threats to Italy and thus deemed it

necessary for a strong prince to thwart French and Spanish authority.

In addressing the ruling Medici family, he primarily uses Borgia as an example of a shrewd

but effective leader.

Since handbooks of conduct meeting monarchal needs had become immensely popular by the

1400s, the external form of The Prince was neither startling nor particularly remarkable

to Machiavelli's contemporaries.

Yet, from its initial appearance, The Prince proved no mere manual of protocol nor, for

that matter, of even conventional strategy.

In its chapters, Machiavelli delineated a typology of sovereignties and the deployment

of available forces military, political, or psychological to acquire and retain them.

The Prince is the first political treatise to divorce statecraft from ethics; as Machiavelli

wrote: “How one lives is so far removed from how one ought to live that he who abandons

what one does for what one ought to do, learns rather his own ruin than his preservation.”

Adding to his unflinching realism the common Renaissance belief in humanity's capacity

for determining its own destiny, Machiavelli posited two fundamentals necessary for effective

political leadership: virtu and fortuna.

Virtu refers to the prince's own abilities (ideally a combination of force and cunning);

fortuna to the unpredictable influence of fortune.

In a significant departure from previous political thought, the designs of Providence play no

part in Machiavelli's scheme.

On issues of leadership hitherto masked by other political theorists in vague diplomatic

terms, Machiavelli presented his theses in direct, candid, and often passionate speech,

employing easily grasped metaphors and structuring the whole in an aphoristic vein which lends

it a compelling authority.

Reaction to The Prince was initially but only briefly favorable, with Catherine de' Medici

said to have enthusiastically included it, among other of Machiavelli's writings, in

the educational curriculum of her children.

But, within a short time the book fell into widespread disfavor, becoming viewed as a

handbook for atheistic tyranny.

The Prince, and Machiavelli's other writings as well, were placed in the Papal Index of

Prohibited Books in 1559.

Further denigrated toward the close of the sixteenth century in Discours sur les moyens

de bien gouverner et maintenir en paix un royause, ou autre principaute.

Contre Nicolas Machiavel, florentin by Innocenzo Gentillet in France, The Prince was held responsible

for French political corruption and for widespread contribution to any number of political and

moral vices.

Gentillet's interpretation of The Prince as advocating statecraft by ruthlessness and

amoral duplicity was disseminated throughout Britain through the works of such popular,

highly influential dramatists as William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe.

In the Prologue to Marlowe's The Jew of Malta, Machevilli addresses the audience at length,

at one point encapsulating the Elizabethan perception of Machiavelli by saying, "I count

religion but a childish toy, / And hold there is no sin but ignorance."

Here and in the works of Marlowe's contemporaries, Machiavelli was depicted as an agent of all

that Protestant England despised in Catholic, High- Renaissance Italy.

Hostile English interpreters so effectively typified Machiavelli as an amalgam of various

evils, which they described with the still-used term " Machiavellian," that fact and fabrication

still coexist today.

Rarely, until the nineteenth century, did mention of The Prince elicit other than unfounded

and largely unexamined repugnance, much less encourage objective scrutiny of its actual

issues.

As Fredi Chiappelli has aptly summarized: "Centuries had to elapse before the distinction

between moral moment and political moment, between technical approach and moralistic

generalities, and even between the subject matter of the book and the author's person

were finally achieved."

Modern critics, noting these crucial distinctions, have engaged in a prolonged and animated discussion

concerning Machiavelli's true intent in The Prince.

An anomalous seventeenth-century commentator, philosopher Pierre Bayle, found it "strange"

that "there are so many people, who believe, that Machiavel teaches princes dangerous politics;

for on the contrary princes have taught Machiavel what he has written."

Since Bayle's time, further analysis has prompted the most prolonged and animated discussion

relating to the work: the true intent of its creator.

Was the treatise, as Bayle suggested, a faithful representation of princely conduct which might

justifiably incriminate its subjects but not its chronicler?

Or had Machiavelli, in his manner of presentation, devised the volume as a vehicle for his own

commentary?

Still more calculatedly, had the author superseded description in ably providing a legacy for

despots?

A single conclusion concerning the author's motive has not been drawn, though patterns

of conjecture have certainly appeared within Machiavelli's critical heritage.

Lord Macaulay, in emphasizing the writer's republican zeal and those privations he suffered

in its behalf, has contended that it is "inconceivable that the martyr of freedom should have designedly

acted as the apostle of tyranny," and that "the peculiar immorality which has rendered

The Prince unpopular ... belonged rather to the age than to the man."

Others have echoed this suggestion, examining the work in its historical context: John Addington

Symonds has deemed it "simply a handbook of princecraft, as that art was commonly received

in Italy, where the principles of public morality had been translated into terms of material

aggrandisement, glory, gain, and greatness."

Many have urged that Machiavelli intended the treatise as a veiled satiric attack on

the methods of Italian tyranny or, by abstruse methods, its converse" a paean to patriotism

and sensible government, grounded in a clear-sighted knowledge of the corrupt human condition.

According to Harold J. Laski, The Prince "is a text-book for the house of Medici set out

in the terms their own history would make them appreciate and, so set out, that its

author might hope for their realization of his insight into the business of government."

While ultimately unable to agree on the underlying purpose of The Prince, nearly all critics

have nonetheless been persuaded of its masterful composition, even when unwilling to endorse

its precepts.

Macaulay has affirmed that the "judicious and candid mind of Machiavelli shows itself

in his luminous, manly, and polished language."

And Francesco De Sanctis has determined that "where he was quite unconscious of form, he

was a master of form.

Without looking for Italian prose he found it."

For sheer volume and intensity, studies of The Prince have far exceeded those directed

at Machiavelli's Discourses, though the latter work has been acknowledged an essential companion

piece to the former.

All of the author's subsequent studies treating history, political science, and military theory

stem from this voluminous dissertation containing the most original thought of Machiavelli.

Less flamboyant than The Prince and narrower in its margin for interpretation, the Discourses

contains Machiavelli's undisguised admiration for ancient governmental forms, and his most

eloquent, thoroughly explicated republicanism.

Commentators have noted the presence of a gravity and skillful rhetoric that at times

punctuate The Prince but are in full evidence only in that work's final chapter, a memorable

exhortation to the Medicis to resist foreign tyranny.

The Discourses also presents that methodical extrapolation of political theory from historical

documentation which is intermittent in The Prince.

Max Lerner has observed that "if The Prince is great because it gives us the grammar of

power for a government, The Discourses are great because they give us the philosophy

of organic unity not in a government but in a state, and the conditions under which alone

a culture can survive."

It has been deemed not at all incongruous that an intellect immersed in historical circumstance

and political impetus should so naturally embrace comedy as well.

For Machiavelli regarded comedy exactly as he conceived history: an interplay of forces

leading unavoidably to a given result.

Machiavelli's Mandragola, his only work in the comedic genre, clearly reflected this

parallel.

De Sanctis has remarked that "under the frivolous surface [of Mandragola] are hidden the profoundest

complexities of the inner life, and the action is propelled by spiritual forces as inevitable

as fate.

It is enough to know the characters to guess the end."

The drama's scenario concerns Callimaco's desire to bed Lucrezia, the beautiful young

wife of a doddering fool, Nicia, who is obsessed with begetting a son.

Masquerading as a doctor, Callimaco advises Nicia to administer a potion of mandrake to

Lucrezia to render her fertile, but also warns that the drug will have fatal implications

for the first man to have intercourse with her.

He slyly suggests to Nicio that a dupe be found for this purpose.

Persuaded by her confessor, a knavish cleric, to comply with her husband's wishes, the virtuous

Lucrezia at last allows Callimaco into her bed, where he has no difficulty convincing

her to accept him as her lover on a more permanent basis.

Tales of this sort" replete with transparent devices, mistaken identities, and cynical,

often anticlerical overtones" were already commonplace throughout Europe by the Middle

Ages, though critics have remarked that Machiavelli lent freshness to even this hackneyed material.

Sydney Anglo has commended his "clear, crisp repartee" and ability "to nudge our ribs at

improprieties and double-meanings," despite characterization that is "rudimentary, haphazard,

and inconsistent, with even protagonists going through their motions like automata."

Macaulay, on the other hand, has applauded the play's "correct and vigorous delineation

of human nature."

A decided influence on the philosophies of Thomas Hobbes and Sir Francis Bacon and on

the thought of such modern political theorists as Vilfredo Pareto, Gaetano Mosca, Georges

Sorel, and Robert Michels, Machiavelli has been called the founder of empirical political

science, primarily on the strength of the Discourses and The Prince.

Taken in historical perspective, it is understandable that The Prince should have dwarfed Machiavelli's

other works.

For with this slim treatise the author confronted the ramifications of power when its procurement

and exercise were notably peremptory" not only in his own country but throughout Europe

as well.

Commentators have come to weigh the integrity of Machiavelli's controversial thought against

the pressing political conditions which formed it.

Some, like Roberto Ridolfi, have endeavored through their studies to dislodge the long-

standing perception of Machiavelli as a ruthless character: "In judging Machiavelli one must

... take account of his anguished despair of virtue and his tragic sense of evil....

On the basis of sentences taken out of context and of outward appearances he was judged a

cold and cynical man, a sneerer at religion and virtue; but in fact there is hardly a

page of his writing and certainly no action of life that does not show him to be passionate,

generous, ardent and basically religious."

"Far from banishing religion or ethics from politics," Peter Bondanella has stated in

European Writers, "Machiavelli created a new religion out of politics, with all its fateful

implications for modern intellectual history."

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1502, Machiavelli married Marietta Corsini.

The couple had six children together; four sons and two daughters.

Machiavelli died in the city on June 21, 1527, in Florence, Italy.

He was interred in the church of Santa Croce in Florence.

Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince is one of the most celebrated and notorious books in

the history of Western political thought.

It continues to influence discussions of war and peace, the nature of politics, and the

relation of private ethics to public duties.

Ostensibly a sixteenth-century manual of instruction on certain aspects of princely rule and behavior,

The Prince anticipates and complicates modern political and philosophical questions.

What is the right order of society?

Can Western politics still be the model for progress toward peace and prosperity, or does

our freedom to create our individual purposes and pursuits undermine our public responsibilities?

Are the characteristics of our politics markedly different, for better or for worse, than the

politics of earlier eras?

Machiavelli argues that there is no ideal, transcendent order to which one can conform,

and that the right order is merely the one that has the capacity to persist over time.

The Prince's emphasis on the importance of an effective truth over any abstract ideal

marks it as one of the first works of modern political philosophy.