The essential writings of Machiavelli by Niccolò Machiavelli; Peter Constantine Read Free Book Online

been a sophisticated Florentine diplomat, could not refrain from producing a daring and at times highly critical rendition of Florence’s history, much of which had been stamped by the Medici, who had been extremely hostile to him. But Giulio de’ Medici — Pope Clement VII — to whom the book was dedicated, was a Renaissance prince and patron of the arts, and was pleased with this work .

BOOK III
1
    The serious enmity between the populace and the nobles, which arises from the desire of the nobles to command and that of the populace not to obey, is the cause of all the evils that occur in a city 18 It is this diversity of humors which feeds everything that throws republics into turmoil. It kept Rome disunited, and, if one may compare lesser things with greater, it is what kept Florence divided, even though the results were different in the two cities: In Rome the divisions that initially existed between the nobles and the populace were settled by debate, while in Florence they were settled by combat. The enmity between the two factions in Rome ended in new laws, while that in Florence ended in the banishment and death of many citizens. The enmity within Rome invariably increased her military skill, while that within Florence was crushed by its opposing factions. The divisions in Rome led from a state of equality among its citizens to a momentous inequality, those in Florence from a state of inequality to an admirable equality. This diversity of effects must have sprung from the different aims of the two peoples. While the populace of Rome strove to enjoy the supreme honors together with the nobles, the populace of Florence fought to govern Florence on its own without the participation of the nobles. As the desire of the Roman populace was more reasonable, the nobles came to see the populace’s assaults as more bearable, and ceded easily, without taking up arms. Consequently, after some disputes and debates, populace and nobles came together to produce a law that satisfied the former and allowed the latter to keep their status. In contrast, the desires of the Florentine populace were harmful and unjust, so that the nobility prepared itself for its defense with greater forces, the result being bloodshed and the exile of citizens. The laws that were consequently enacted were not for the common good, but entirely in favor of the victor.
    As a result of the victories of the populace, the city of Rome became more adept and expert. Because the populace could serve along with the nobles in the administration of the magistracies, the army, and the provinces, they could acquire the same skill as the nobles, and as the expertise of Rome grew, so did its might. But in Florence, when the populace was victorious, the nobility was deprived of magistracies, and if they wanted to regain them, it was necessary for the nobles not only to be like men of the populace in their behavior, spirit, and manner of living, but also to be seen to be like them. From this arose those changes in the coats of arms and the titles of families which the nobles adopted in order to seem part of the populace. Hence the military prowess and generosity of spirit that had resided in the nobility was extinguished, while it could not be rekindled in the populace since these qualities had never existed. So Florence became increasingly humble and wretched. But while in Rome the nobles’ skill turned into arrogance, so that Rome reached a point where it could not exist without a prince, Florence was in a position where a wise lawgiver could institute any form of government.

BOOK VII
33
    […] Cola Montano was a man of letters and great ambition who taught Latin to the foremost youths of Milan. Either from hatred of the ways of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan, or for some other reason, he was always arguing how detestable life was under a bad prince, and how lucky were those whom Nature and Fortune had granted the privilege of being born and living in a