Ladies and gentlemen, lend me your ears. I come here not to bury you with Machievellianism but to prove to you that I am a Renaissance man.
Remember me? Oh, how can you forget me? I am Nicollo Machievelli known as the father of modern political theory. Machievellianism! Yes! History remembered me as a foreign virus infecting English politics. It’s a sad thought that people associated me with corrupt, totalitarian government. The Prince gave me such reputation.
Anyways, let me tour you around my life and you will be the judge if I should be considered as a Renaissance man.
It was on May 3, 1469 when I was brought to the world. Florence, Italy had been my home. My parents were Bernardo and Bartolomea. My father was a lawyer, he had a personal library and I used to read books with the Greek and Roman philosophers and volumes of Italian history.
This is the portrait of Girolamo Savonarola whose undertakings against the moral corruption of the clergy inspired me to have my debut of involvement in the Florentine political scene in 1498. After his execution, I entered the Florentine government. I started as a secretary and at the same time I was appointed as a second chancery of the republic. Yes! I was a chancellor and secretary of the Ten of Liberty and Peace, a sensitive government agency that deals with warfare and foreign affairs. Afterwards, I engaged in diplomatic missions both domestic and foreign. This gives me an opportunity to closely examine the inner workings of government. In 1502, I was a well respected gonfalonier, or head of the state, Piero Soderini. I met many important politicians at that time. There was the Pope and then the King of France but none had more impact on me than Cesare Borgia, the prince of the Papal States.
Oh! This man is very cunning and cruel. Yes! I would admit that the prince I was talking about in The Prince book was him. I don’t like his policies yet I do believe that with a ruler like Borgia we could unite Italy.
It’s my goal. I wanted to unite Italy. Unfortunately, the Medici came and the Republic was overthrown and they replaced it with their own autocratic regime. I was left jobless. Worst, they accused me of conspiracy and arrested me.
I was put into exile. At that time, I spent my enforced retirement writing political writings. Among of the literary masterpieces I made were, Discorsi…sopra la prima deca di Tito Livio (Discourses upon the First Decade of T. Livius), and The Prince. The Discourses explains the structure and benefits of a republic. This book is three books in one. Book I focuses on the internal structure of the republic. Book II is about matters of warfare and Book III is about individual leadership, this is similar to The Prince. The Prince was my dedication to the Medici as my attempt to gain their favor by incorporating their goals. But when I handed the book to the Medici, they didn’t like it.
This is the book. People were angry when they saw this. They considered my thoughts as evil. My work was misinterpreted and I was misunderstood.
I wrote The Prince to let people see the art of the state and to give advice on how a prince might gain and keep power.
My other writings were composed of a drama, La mandragola (Mandragola), Libro della arte della Guerra (The Art of War), Istorie fiorentine (History of Florence) and a lot more. All of my writings reflect my ideas about military, republic government and the Florence state.
I give thanks to Pope Clement VII for recognizing my achievements. I was appointed as the official historian of Florence in 1520. It was also him that condemned me as he condemned The Prince.
Wishing, therefore, so far as in me lies, to draw mankind from this error, I have thought it proper to write upon these books of Titus Livius that have come to us entire despite the malice of time; touching upon all those matters which, after a comparison between the ancient and modern events, may seem to me necessary to facilitate their proper understanding. In this way those who read my remarks may derive those advantages which should be the name of all study of history; and although the undertaking is difficult, yet, aided by those who have encouraged me in this attempt, I hope to carry it sufficiently far, so that but little may remain for others to carry it to its destined end.
Now, ladies and gentleman, judge me according what you deemed is fair and just.
