North and Central Italy in
Machiavelli’s times

BEHIND THE SCENES MACHIAVELLI WROTE THE PRINCE

1512, Santandrea, near Firenze.

The day before night where the sky is blackened. A wet atmosphere filled the air, whereas Milan is still far should be stuck here. A quiet place where we have to spend the night? There are no settlements in this forest. Thunder began to thunder a sign of a storm coming.

“Your Honour. There’s a house!” Vicenzo pointed out. A speck of light flashed from the house, maybe a wood-searching hut. Given the weather does not support there is no harm in pleading the owner’s hospitality for a moment to take shelter.

“All right, we ask for permission to stay.”

“Please come, sir.” This house turned out to belong to the carpenter’s foreman.

“Please taste this warm soup.” This man is still middle-aged and has a thin face. The hot soup mixed with mashed potatoes is also reminiscent considering that the foreman lives alone, it seems that he is a widower who loves his wife so chooses his own life. Here, in the forest.

Something was awkward. But no matter at least we have a shelter in the middle of this storm.

“Why do you stay away from crowded places?” Vicenzo could not help but feel his curiosity.

The man was dreamy and smiled bitterly. “I was an outcast, loving Firenze and wanting to serve Italy.”

At this point, I feel this person is a person who has high wishes.

“When Firenze was still a Republic, before the Medici family gained control again I was a civilian servant under the administration of President Sodelini. I’m fired! After I was expelled from the government office, many things happened. I was thrown into prison for an alleged coup d’état. When Cardinal Giovanni was appointed the new Pope, I was released from prison. I’m glad to be released. But I have a Criminal record, though I’m actually innocent so I can not work in the Firenze government forever.” This man knocked on his soup bowl upset.

I glimpsed that Vicenzo wanted to pull out a sword, but my gaze stopped him. Giovanni is my brother, Giovanni Medici or now called Pope Leo X. Giovanni is clever with the help of Spanish troops to recapture Firenze. My elder sister Piero, who was weak, fled cowardly when the French bullied first, causing Firenze to become Republic and eliminating the influence of our beloved father Lorenzo.

Giuliano de’ Medici (1453 – April 26, 1478) was the second son of Piero de’ Medici (the Gouty) and Lucrezia Tornabuoni. As co-ruler of Florence, with his brother Lorenzo the Magnificent, he complemented his brother’s image as the “patron of the arts” with his own image as the handsome, sporting, “golden boy.”

“Sir, do you know who we are?” Asked Vicenzo.

“I have no desire to know.”

“He is the noble Juliano. Juliano de Medici” Pointed Vicenzo. In fact, he just smiled.

“Your Honor Juliano, a friendly Juliano. The third son of the Medici family.” His eyes were excited. I just smiled. “You must buy my knowledge as a civilian servant.”

“What can I buy from my family’s enemies?”

“Knowledge to be a leader. Leaders in times of turmoil are not suitable to be as friendly as masters. He must be cruel to his subordinates. I will give you what I have seen, and what history teaches. Accept me as your advisor so that I can be used again to Firenze, for Italy.” The night became silent, the storm was over.

“Foreman, the storm is over. When we had to leave, the journey to Milan was long and we had to leave immediately.”  Alone with Vicenzo, too risky to delay travel amid such a chaotic era.

“I beg my lord, accept me as your servant.” The man’s voice trembled and then prostrated me in the crook. She bangs her head against the floor to show her sincerity.

The cover page of the 1550 edition of Machiavelli’s The Prince and The Life of Castruccio Castracani of Lucca.

My heart is touched, “Foreman. We are on an important journey and it is not possible to add more members. Okay, I will give you a chance. Science will be useful if it is structured systematically in writing. Write down your knowledge and send it to me. My brother Giovanni is planning to help me form a new country in Emilia, maybe you will be more useful there someday.”

“Thank you, Lord.” He kisses my hand and his eyes like finding new hope.

Vicenzo leaned closer and whispered, “Should not we just kill this guy?” I chuckled.

“We did not know your name yet?”

“Machiavelli. Niccolo Machiavelli.” The life of this man must be very bitter, very painful. His words are more like prayers. Or hope, the hope for history to record. He pronounced with pride.

X

Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli (3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527) was an Italian historian, politician, diplomat, philosopher, humanist, and writer based in Florence during the Renaissance.

The Prince. Machiavelli wrote and finished it. But his work did not reach the Medici family because Juliano was dead. And Machiavelli died at the age of 58 years 1527 brought his ideals to return to government. His work is regarded as a forbidden theory and never disseminated. Referred to as a heretical book, a book that possesses power affects people. In the middle ages, The Prince was famous as a book with a bad reputation. Until the 18th century was considered a book of demons. Machiavelism is a term used for people who want to do everything they can to achieve their goals. That goal justifies how to achieve it. In it, there are Machiavelli’s words that seriously consider human nature beyond evil or goodness.

Translate From: LATAR BELAKANG PENULISAN SANG PENGERAN OLEH MACHIAVELLI

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