I was born into a tumultuous era, in which Popes were leading armies, and wealthy city-states of Italy were falling one after another into the hands of foreign powers — France, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire. From 1502 to 1503, I was a witness to the effective statebuilding methods of the soldier/churchman Cesare Borgia, an immensely capable general and statesman who was at that time engaged in enlarging my territories in central Italy through a mixture of audacity, prudence, self-reliance, firmness and, not infrequently, cruelty.
In August 1512, following a tangled series of battles, treaties, and alliances, the Medici with the help of Pope Julius II regained power in Florence and the republic was dissolved. I, having played a significant role in the republic's anti-Medici government, was removed from office and in 1513 I was accused of conspiracy and arrested. Although tortured on the rack I denied my involvement and was eventually released. I retired to my estate at Sant'Andrea in Percussina near Florence and began writing the treatises that would ensure hmy place in the development of political philosophy and conduct.
In a famous letter to my friend Francesco Vettori, I described how I spent my days in exile:
When evening comes, I return home [from work and from the local tavern] and go to my study. On the threshold I strip naked, taking off my muddy, sweaty workday clothes, and put on the robes of court and palace, and in this graver dress I enter the courts of the ancients and am welcomed by them, and there I taste the food that alone is mine, and for which I was born. And there I make bold to speak to them and ask the motives of their actions, and they, in their humanity reply to me. And for the space of four hours I forget the world, remember no vexation, fear poverty no more, tremble no more at death; I pass indeed into their world.
Much has been made of the notion of two Machiavellis: one of The Prince, one of the Discorsi.
Now, let me talk about my works. My works are "The Prince",my best known work, in which I describe the arts by which a Prince (a ruler) can retain control of his realm. "Discorsi", if The Prince was Machiavelli's textbook on a monarchy, my Discourse on the First Ten Books of Titus Livy (which comprise the early history of Rome) is a paean to the republic.
I also wrote plays (Clizia, Mandragola), poetry (Sonetti, Canzoni, Ottave, Canti carnascialeschi) and novels (Belfagor arcidiavolo) as well as translating classical works.
Finally, I died in San Casciano, a few miles outside of Florence, in 1527. my resting place is unknown; however a cenotaph in my honor was placed at the Church of Santa Croce in Florence. The Latin sentence on the tomb — TANTO NOMINI NULLUM PAR ELOGIUM — is translated as either 'for so great a name, no praise is adequate' or 'No elegy is equal to such a name'.
