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History of Florence And of the Affairs of Italy
Theodoric possessed great talents both for war and peace; in the former he was always conqueror, and in the latter he conferred very great benefits upon the cities and people under him. He distributed the Ostrogoths over the country, each district under its leader, that he might more conveniently command them in war, and govern them in peace. He enlarged Ravenna, restored Rome, and, with the exception of military discipline, conferred upon the Romans every honor.
308 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1532
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1752 people want to read
About the author
Niccolò Machiavelli
2,162 books5,016 followers
The Prince
, book of Niccolò Machiavelli, Italian political theorist, in
1513 describes an indifferent ruler to moral considerations with determination to achieve and to maintain power.
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli, a philosopher, musician, and poet, wrote plays. He figured centrally in component of the Renaissance, and people most widely know his realist treatises on the one hand and republicanism of Discourses on Livy .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccol%...
1513 describes an indifferent ruler to moral considerations with determination to achieve and to maintain power.
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli, a philosopher, musician, and poet, wrote plays. He figured centrally in component of the Renaissance, and people most widely know his realist treatises on the one hand and republicanism of Discourses on Livy .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccol%...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 22, 2018
Don't get me wrong, I am and remain a giant fan of Machiavelli and anyone who is responsible for working with, managing or being managed by other people would do well to read both him and Mancur Olson's "Logic of Collective Action." That said, if you are going to read Machiavelli, read "The Prince" and, if you must, "The Art of War." "The History of Florence" has precious little of the Machiavellian wit that makes him so fun to read, it's there to be sure, but the teeming majority of the book is the worst kind of history: "one damned thing after another." If you are interested in a fantastically detailed account of the wars between and within Italy of the Quatrocento, then this book is for you. If, however, you would struggle to locate certain castles of great strategic importance in Tuscany or Lombardy on a map in a vain effort to follow the course of the narrative, my advice to you is to stick with "The Prince."
July 29, 2021
Detta är en kortfattad sammanfattning av Florens historia från Rom till Machiavellis egna dagar. Den blir mer och mer detaljerad ju närmare den tänkta nutiden den kommer. Boken är alls inte dålig, men den är rik på fakta och insinuation, och fattig på sammanhangsyn och exempel. Jag menar att den inte står på egna ben.
May 28, 2020
NOTA PREVIA: Leí esta obra por haber cursado la materia no-obligatoria de «Maquiavelo (autor)». Como breve reseña de la misma, anexo el reporte de lectura que le dediqué:
***
El propósito de Maquiavelo al hacer una historia de Florencia parece ser, al contrario de otros escritores, no un recuento de las «proezas antiguas» que deben imitarse, sino más bien de los engaños que se han utilizado alguna vez para mantenerse en el poder y resguardar cierta fama ―al menos esto es lo que expresa en cierto momento―. Esta postura parte del supuesto explicitado por el autor, de que «lo que más agrada y enseña en la historia es la narración de los sucesos interiores», es decir, que la «letra viva» del pasado propio de una patria consiste principalmente en las discordias que se presentan en su seno, de donde se pueden tomar en cuenta los errores cometidos precisamente para no repetirlos.
No es de sorprender, en este sentido, que el filósofo italiano se enfoque en el delicado equilibrio que supone un «orden de las cosas» tanto en tiempos de paz como los de guerra; bastante frágil dicha armonía debido a que no es natural «en las cosas humanas detenerse en punto fijo», y por esas variaciones o fluctuaciones de ánimo en un pueblo, se pasa del orden al desorden. O, lo que es lo mismo, «del bien se desciende al mal y del mal se asciende al bien», porque no podemos ser sumamente perfectos sin perder nuestras virtudes por una excesiva tranquilidad, ni podemos ser sumamente imperfectos sin que nuestros vicios no nos obliguen en cierto punto a ser mejores.
El propio autor lo expresa en...
El resto de la reseña se encuentra en mi blog: https://jsaaopinionpersonal.wordpress...
***
El propósito de Maquiavelo al hacer una historia de Florencia parece ser, al contrario de otros escritores, no un recuento de las «proezas antiguas» que deben imitarse, sino más bien de los engaños que se han utilizado alguna vez para mantenerse en el poder y resguardar cierta fama ―al menos esto es lo que expresa en cierto momento―. Esta postura parte del supuesto explicitado por el autor, de que «lo que más agrada y enseña en la historia es la narración de los sucesos interiores», es decir, que la «letra viva» del pasado propio de una patria consiste principalmente en las discordias que se presentan en su seno, de donde se pueden tomar en cuenta los errores cometidos precisamente para no repetirlos.
No es de sorprender, en este sentido, que el filósofo italiano se enfoque en el delicado equilibrio que supone un «orden de las cosas» tanto en tiempos de paz como los de guerra; bastante frágil dicha armonía debido a que no es natural «en las cosas humanas detenerse en punto fijo», y por esas variaciones o fluctuaciones de ánimo en un pueblo, se pasa del orden al desorden. O, lo que es lo mismo, «del bien se desciende al mal y del mal se asciende al bien», porque no podemos ser sumamente perfectos sin perder nuestras virtudes por una excesiva tranquilidad, ni podemos ser sumamente imperfectos sin que nuestros vicios no nos obliguen en cierto punto a ser mejores.
El propio autor lo expresa en...
El resto de la reseña se encuentra en mi blog: https://jsaaopinionpersonal.wordpress...
July 27, 2011
A fascinating history of Florence from one of the greatest political minds in history.
May 23, 2016
One of the best written histories of its time; despite some factual inaccuracy it is immaculately well written and a must read for the early modern intellectual historian.
October 19, 2025
Niccolò Machiavelli's Eight-Book Epic, The Florentine Histories, Is A Dramatic, Florid Chronicle Of Renaissance Italy's Tumultuous Past.
During the later portion of his life, Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli lived as an exile, cut off from his native Florence after the return of the Medici in the year 1512 heralded the collapse of Gonfalonier Piero Soderini's short-lived republican government, forcing both he & Machiavelli to flee from the city in disgrace, earning them the scorn & the contempt of the Medici. That same year Machiavelli was arrested under conspiracy charges in the Boscoli-Capponi affair, & during his three weeks of imprisonment he was interrogated under the alleged belief that he had been actively conspiring against the Medici government.
Machiavelli was eventually able to retire to a comfortable farm he owned at Sant'Andrea in Percussina, alongside his wife Marietta Corsini & their six children. Niccolò periodically would represent Florentine diplomatic interests in an ambassadorial role where he was utilized for negotiation with neighboring Italian city-states & foreign powers such as Germany & France where his experience interacting with powerful men such as Louis XII, Pope Alexander VI & Duke Valentino rendered those receiving him more receptive to his words. His free time away from these assignments was predominately devoted towards composing the treatises on statecraft & military strategy which he is most famous for: The Prince, Discourses on Livy & The Art of War. Each of these three writings demonstrate just how extensive Niccolò Machiavelli's knowledge was in the areas of government & warfare, & to lend weight to his arguments he illustrates concepts being discussed by providing historical scenarios taken from period of Machiavelli's own Italian Renaissance, composed for the reader in the dry, piercing linguistic style which truly has made the Florentine statesman famous among writers throughout history.
In 1520 Machiavelli was approached by Cardinal Giulio de'Medici with a proposal to compose a complete history of Florence, which to be honest was not Niccolò's ideal commission for a written work. However, he more than anything desired to end the long exile away from his beloved Florence, so Niccolò agreed to the endeavor to write the Florentine history, probably praying that Giulio would relent & allow him back into the city. Six years later in 1526, the Cardinal Giulio de'Medici had become the Pope Clement VII & at long last Machiavelli's history of Florence was complete.
When the finished work was presented to the Holy Father in May of 1526, Machiavelli's eight-book historiographical masterpiece enjoyed an overall positive reception. Clement planned to utilize Niccolò to assist in assembling a national military in the coming years to help facilitate the War of the League of Cognac, but Rome was sacked in 1527 & Niccolò Machiavelli died later that year at the age of 58. The Florentine Histories would not be officially published until years after Niccolò's death in 1532, & the work's unique format & writing style would in time inspire contemporaries of Machiavelli such as Francesco Guicciardini as he composed his History of Italy.
This edition of the Florentine Histories is translated by Laura F. Banfield & Harvey C. Mansfield, Jr. & included is an introduction analyzing Machiavelli's linguistic style & specific techniques he employs to add dramatic effect as his narrative proceeds. Machiavelli, along with other writers from history such as Cassius Dio, Titus Livy & Cornelius Tacitus, is criticized by modern historians for his reliance in his writings on speeches considered to be fictional & ultimately imaginary in nature, & in the introduction Mansfield provides his own assessment of them: "But Machiavelli is so far from casual or forgetful in his use of invented speeches that this technique appears to be one of his themes or preoccupations." The main text is annotated with footnotes by the translators that provide insight & additional information on people, events, & locations relevant to his narrative.
The eight books which comprise the Florentine Histories are undeniably filled with intrigue, conspiracy, heresy & betrayal. The Catholic Church was frequently sundered into warring factions when renegades such as Cadalus of Parma, Guido da Crema, & Giovanni da Ferma or Callistus III declared themselves antipopes in defiance of the church's authority, wreaking havoc across Italy. The Western Schism was a 39-year period of unrest which grew to become so serious, powerful cities such as Avignon & Pisa began creating their own competing lines of antipopes which was catastrophic to the integrity of the Catholic Church. In the schism's final, waning years there were three different men all claiming to be the rightful Pope over a period of time -- Gregory XII, Clement VIII, & John XXIII, with the latter being elected at the schismatic Council of Pisa in 1409. They either were declared heretics or else pressured into abdicating their positions. Finally, the church formally raised up Oddo of house Colonna, officially recognizing him as Pope Martin V, in 1417.
The Florentine Histories is characterized by its chaotic, uneven narrative & frequent shifts of focus, making reading it somewhat of an adventure unto itself. The name of the written work is somewhat misleading, as the events chronicled encompass much more than simply Florentine political & military affairs. This is a detailed accounting of Italian history through its tumultuous Middle Age, where republics, communes & tyrants all rose & fell like the shifting currents of an autumn breeze.
Powerful warlords such as the ambitious dukes of Milan, Fillipo Maria Visconti & Francesco I Sforza, waged campaigns of conquest with such ferocity that their opponents could not withstand them without allies. These men not only were formidable Italian potentates with thousands of soldiers under their command but also cunning military strategists able to outwit an opponent as easily as they could overwhelm him with the sheer numbers of their armies. These Milanese self-styled princes attained such power they would often choose for their subalterns men equally as formidable as they were, such as Giovan Francesco Gonzaga, the Marquis of Mantua, & Roberto Sanseverino of Aragon.
Machiavelli's strongest literary proficiencies lay in his ability to convey a historical event in a way that resonates with his audience. There are numerous occurrences in the Florentine Histories, which describe dramatic events such as feuds, political movements, & clandestine conspiracies, & Niccolò's eloquent speech & formal, old-fashioned phraseology cannot help but have an emotional impact which calls to mind classical Greek tragedies & stirring Renaissance pageantry. The characters speak their momentous lines with gravity & deliberation, making the reader feel as if they are immersed in the time period & caught up in the harrowing scenarios transpiring in this literary work of art. Whether or not the people appearing in his chronicle actually spoke these lines, Machiavelli most assuredly possesses a talent for infusing his writing with emotion & high drama.
Niccolò begins each of the eight books in the Florentine Histories with an expository sequence that helps establish their setting, tone, & atmosphere, as well as to provide his reader with background knowledge of the regions in which the events take place. He provides such a passage when describing the city of Fiesole, located in the vicinity of Florence, in FH II 2 -- "It is a thing very true, as Dante & Giovanni Villani have shown, that, since the city of Fiesole has been placed on the summit of a mountain, to make its markets more frequented & more convenient for those who might want to come to them with their merchandise it had ordered the place for them not on the hillside but in the plain between the foot of the mountain & the Arno Rive. These markets, I judge, were the cause of the first buildings that were put up in those places, as the merchants were moved by the wish to have convenient shelters to hold their merchandise, which in time became solid buildings. Afterwards, when the Romans had conquered the Carthaginians, rendering Italy safe from foreign wars, the buildings multiplied to a great number."
During the later portion of the Florentine Histories in FH V 24, Machiavelli's description of the fortifications upon which the Italian city of Verona situates itself, with the twin strongholds of San Pietro & San Felice placed each on opposite banks of the Adige, serves as a wonderful example of his florid, artistic prose, & illustrates a vivid portrait of the city's stunning architecture -- "The city of Verona is located in Lombardy at the foot of the mountains & plain. The river Adige issues from the valley of Trento & in entering Italy does not spread quickly through the open country but turns left along the mountains, finds the city, & passes through the middle of it, not, however, so that the parts are equal, because more of it lies on the plain than on the side of the mountains. On them are two fortresses, one named San Pietro, the other San Felice, which appear stronger for their site than for their walls & from a high place dominate the whole city. On the plain from here to the Adige, & astride the walls of the city, are two other fortresses, separated from each other by a thousand paces. One of these is named the old citadel, the other the new; from within one of them there is a wall made by the ordinary walls of the city that go from one citadel to the other. All this space between one wall & the other is called the Borgo of San Zeno."
The flow of the writing times can at times prove to be a bit cumbersome, but the story Niccolò tells with his florid, eloquent writing style make reading this narrative tour de force a worthwhile endeavor. It becomes quite easy to forget that composing the Florentine Histories took Machiavelli a full six years to complete. Each of the work's eight books is prefaced with a short preliminary chapter of the author's musings, which generally pertain to the forthcoming events he is about to discuss. These sections mirror to some degree the tone & structure of his sister works The Prince & Discourses on Livy. His sentences sometimes last for an entire paragraph, but this reviewer could not help but be impressed with Niccolò's perseverance because his passion for the subject matter shines through, & the work's translators also deserve a tremendous amount of credit for completing such thorough, comprehensive work.
The Florentine Histories is not a brief, political feuilleton, nor is it a dispassionate commentary on another writer's historical narrative. It is a nuanced chronicle with dramatic elements & cinematic themes that are accentuated by Machiavelli's archaic form of written expression & stirring, emotional dialogue. While its claim to historical accuracy is at times a gray area, the Florentine Histories is still an outstanding choice for readers who are familiar with Niccolò's other written works & are searching for a more challenging reading experience that fully embraces the time period of the Late Middle Age & early Renaissance eras in Italian history. Thank you so very much for reading, I hope you enjoyed the review!
During the later portion of his life, Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli lived as an exile, cut off from his native Florence after the return of the Medici in the year 1512 heralded the collapse of Gonfalonier Piero Soderini's short-lived republican government, forcing both he & Machiavelli to flee from the city in disgrace, earning them the scorn & the contempt of the Medici. That same year Machiavelli was arrested under conspiracy charges in the Boscoli-Capponi affair, & during his three weeks of imprisonment he was interrogated under the alleged belief that he had been actively conspiring against the Medici government.
Machiavelli was eventually able to retire to a comfortable farm he owned at Sant'Andrea in Percussina, alongside his wife Marietta Corsini & their six children. Niccolò periodically would represent Florentine diplomatic interests in an ambassadorial role where he was utilized for negotiation with neighboring Italian city-states & foreign powers such as Germany & France where his experience interacting with powerful men such as Louis XII, Pope Alexander VI & Duke Valentino rendered those receiving him more receptive to his words. His free time away from these assignments was predominately devoted towards composing the treatises on statecraft & military strategy which he is most famous for: The Prince, Discourses on Livy & The Art of War. Each of these three writings demonstrate just how extensive Niccolò Machiavelli's knowledge was in the areas of government & warfare, & to lend weight to his arguments he illustrates concepts being discussed by providing historical scenarios taken from period of Machiavelli's own Italian Renaissance, composed for the reader in the dry, piercing linguistic style which truly has made the Florentine statesman famous among writers throughout history.
In 1520 Machiavelli was approached by Cardinal Giulio de'Medici with a proposal to compose a complete history of Florence, which to be honest was not Niccolò's ideal commission for a written work. However, he more than anything desired to end the long exile away from his beloved Florence, so Niccolò agreed to the endeavor to write the Florentine history, probably praying that Giulio would relent & allow him back into the city. Six years later in 1526, the Cardinal Giulio de'Medici had become the Pope Clement VII & at long last Machiavelli's history of Florence was complete.
When the finished work was presented to the Holy Father in May of 1526, Machiavelli's eight-book historiographical masterpiece enjoyed an overall positive reception. Clement planned to utilize Niccolò to assist in assembling a national military in the coming years to help facilitate the War of the League of Cognac, but Rome was sacked in 1527 & Niccolò Machiavelli died later that year at the age of 58. The Florentine Histories would not be officially published until years after Niccolò's death in 1532, & the work's unique format & writing style would in time inspire contemporaries of Machiavelli such as Francesco Guicciardini as he composed his History of Italy.
This edition of the Florentine Histories is translated by Laura F. Banfield & Harvey C. Mansfield, Jr. & included is an introduction analyzing Machiavelli's linguistic style & specific techniques he employs to add dramatic effect as his narrative proceeds. Machiavelli, along with other writers from history such as Cassius Dio, Titus Livy & Cornelius Tacitus, is criticized by modern historians for his reliance in his writings on speeches considered to be fictional & ultimately imaginary in nature, & in the introduction Mansfield provides his own assessment of them: "But Machiavelli is so far from casual or forgetful in his use of invented speeches that this technique appears to be one of his themes or preoccupations." The main text is annotated with footnotes by the translators that provide insight & additional information on people, events, & locations relevant to his narrative.
The eight books which comprise the Florentine Histories are undeniably filled with intrigue, conspiracy, heresy & betrayal. The Catholic Church was frequently sundered into warring factions when renegades such as Cadalus of Parma, Guido da Crema, & Giovanni da Ferma or Callistus III declared themselves antipopes in defiance of the church's authority, wreaking havoc across Italy. The Western Schism was a 39-year period of unrest which grew to become so serious, powerful cities such as Avignon & Pisa began creating their own competing lines of antipopes which was catastrophic to the integrity of the Catholic Church. In the schism's final, waning years there were three different men all claiming to be the rightful Pope over a period of time -- Gregory XII, Clement VIII, & John XXIII, with the latter being elected at the schismatic Council of Pisa in 1409. They either were declared heretics or else pressured into abdicating their positions. Finally, the church formally raised up Oddo of house Colonna, officially recognizing him as Pope Martin V, in 1417.
The Florentine Histories is characterized by its chaotic, uneven narrative & frequent shifts of focus, making reading it somewhat of an adventure unto itself. The name of the written work is somewhat misleading, as the events chronicled encompass much more than simply Florentine political & military affairs. This is a detailed accounting of Italian history through its tumultuous Middle Age, where republics, communes & tyrants all rose & fell like the shifting currents of an autumn breeze.
Powerful warlords such as the ambitious dukes of Milan, Fillipo Maria Visconti & Francesco I Sforza, waged campaigns of conquest with such ferocity that their opponents could not withstand them without allies. These men not only were formidable Italian potentates with thousands of soldiers under their command but also cunning military strategists able to outwit an opponent as easily as they could overwhelm him with the sheer numbers of their armies. These Milanese self-styled princes attained such power they would often choose for their subalterns men equally as formidable as they were, such as Giovan Francesco Gonzaga, the Marquis of Mantua, & Roberto Sanseverino of Aragon.
Machiavelli's strongest literary proficiencies lay in his ability to convey a historical event in a way that resonates with his audience. There are numerous occurrences in the Florentine Histories, which describe dramatic events such as feuds, political movements, & clandestine conspiracies, & Niccolò's eloquent speech & formal, old-fashioned phraseology cannot help but have an emotional impact which calls to mind classical Greek tragedies & stirring Renaissance pageantry. The characters speak their momentous lines with gravity & deliberation, making the reader feel as if they are immersed in the time period & caught up in the harrowing scenarios transpiring in this literary work of art. Whether or not the people appearing in his chronicle actually spoke these lines, Machiavelli most assuredly possesses a talent for infusing his writing with emotion & high drama.
Niccolò begins each of the eight books in the Florentine Histories with an expository sequence that helps establish their setting, tone, & atmosphere, as well as to provide his reader with background knowledge of the regions in which the events take place. He provides such a passage when describing the city of Fiesole, located in the vicinity of Florence, in FH II 2 -- "It is a thing very true, as Dante & Giovanni Villani have shown, that, since the city of Fiesole has been placed on the summit of a mountain, to make its markets more frequented & more convenient for those who might want to come to them with their merchandise it had ordered the place for them not on the hillside but in the plain between the foot of the mountain & the Arno Rive. These markets, I judge, were the cause of the first buildings that were put up in those places, as the merchants were moved by the wish to have convenient shelters to hold their merchandise, which in time became solid buildings. Afterwards, when the Romans had conquered the Carthaginians, rendering Italy safe from foreign wars, the buildings multiplied to a great number."
During the later portion of the Florentine Histories in FH V 24, Machiavelli's description of the fortifications upon which the Italian city of Verona situates itself, with the twin strongholds of San Pietro & San Felice placed each on opposite banks of the Adige, serves as a wonderful example of his florid, artistic prose, & illustrates a vivid portrait of the city's stunning architecture -- "The city of Verona is located in Lombardy at the foot of the mountains & plain. The river Adige issues from the valley of Trento & in entering Italy does not spread quickly through the open country but turns left along the mountains, finds the city, & passes through the middle of it, not, however, so that the parts are equal, because more of it lies on the plain than on the side of the mountains. On them are two fortresses, one named San Pietro, the other San Felice, which appear stronger for their site than for their walls & from a high place dominate the whole city. On the plain from here to the Adige, & astride the walls of the city, are two other fortresses, separated from each other by a thousand paces. One of these is named the old citadel, the other the new; from within one of them there is a wall made by the ordinary walls of the city that go from one citadel to the other. All this space between one wall & the other is called the Borgo of San Zeno."
The flow of the writing times can at times prove to be a bit cumbersome, but the story Niccolò tells with his florid, eloquent writing style make reading this narrative tour de force a worthwhile endeavor. It becomes quite easy to forget that composing the Florentine Histories took Machiavelli a full six years to complete. Each of the work's eight books is prefaced with a short preliminary chapter of the author's musings, which generally pertain to the forthcoming events he is about to discuss. These sections mirror to some degree the tone & structure of his sister works The Prince & Discourses on Livy. His sentences sometimes last for an entire paragraph, but this reviewer could not help but be impressed with Niccolò's perseverance because his passion for the subject matter shines through, & the work's translators also deserve a tremendous amount of credit for completing such thorough, comprehensive work.
The Florentine Histories is not a brief, political feuilleton, nor is it a dispassionate commentary on another writer's historical narrative. It is a nuanced chronicle with dramatic elements & cinematic themes that are accentuated by Machiavelli's archaic form of written expression & stirring, emotional dialogue. While its claim to historical accuracy is at times a gray area, the Florentine Histories is still an outstanding choice for readers who are familiar with Niccolò's other written works & are searching for a more challenging reading experience that fully embraces the time period of the Late Middle Age & early Renaissance eras in Italian history. Thank you so very much for reading, I hope you enjoyed the review!
December 21, 2021
Το πιο παραμελημένο και παραγνωρισμένο έργο του διάσημου Φλωρεντινού συγγραφέα του 16ου αιώνα, Νικολό Μακιαβέλι με τίτλο «Φλωρεντινές ιστορίες» έρχονται να συστήσουν στο ελληνικό αναγνωστικό κοινό οι εκδόσεις Αλεξάνδρεια και ο μεταφραστής Θεοδόσης Νικολαΐδης.
Ο Μακιαβέλλι έμεινε γνωστός για το έργο του “Ο Ηγεμών” και για το “Η τέχνη του πολέμου“. Φαίνεται όμως πως είχε ταλέντο και στην ιστορική αφήγηση εκτός από την πολιτική θεωρία. Οι “Φλωρεντινές ιστορίες” είναι το τελευταίο μεγάλο έργο του που γράφτηκε κατά παραγγελία του Κλήμη Ζ’, ενός Πάπα που ανήκε στην οικογένεια των Μεδίκων. Ο Μακιαβέλι μάλιστα, πριν από τον πρόλογο, παραθέτει και μία αφιερωτική επιστολή στον Πάπα αυτόν στην οποία εξηγεί ότι δεν αποσκοπεί στο να κολακέψει κανέναν από την οικογένεια των Μεδίκων με το παρόν πόνημα, αλλά απλά παραθέτει τα γεγονότα όπως έγιναν.
Πρόκειται για ένα καθαρά ουμανιστικό έργο, σύμφυτο με το πνεύμα της εποχής στην οποία γράφτηκε. Ο Μακιαβέλι δεν διστάζει να αναφέρει και την προσωπική του άποψη όπου κρίνει ότι είναι απαραίτητο. Δεν παραθέτει, δηλαδή, απλώς τα γεγονότα. Το κείμενο είναι γραμμένο στη φλωρεντινή διάλεκτο και όχι στα λατινικά.
Το έργο χωρίζεται σε οκτώ βιβλία. Το πρώτο είναι αφιερωμένο στην ιστορία ολόκληρης της ιταλικής χερσονήσου, αλλά και του μεσαιωνικού κόσμου με χρονική αφετηρία την κατάληψη της Ρώμης από τους βαρβάρους το 476 μ.Χ. Ο συγγραφέας διατρέχει κατ’ αυτόν τον τρόπο εν τάχει την ευρωπαϊκή μεσαιωνική ιστορία ως την εποχή της Αναγέννησης. Στο δεύτερο βιβλίο αφηγείται την ιστορία της πόλης του, της Φλωρεντίας από το 1250 μέχρι και το 1348, τη χρονιά σταθμός για την Ευρώπη, οπότε και ενέσκηψε ο Μαύρος Θάνατος. Η διαμάχη Γούλεφων (των οπαδών του Πάπα) και των Γιβελίνων (των οπαδών του Αυτοκράτορα) αναλύεται σε μεγάλο μέρος του βιβλίου, όπως και η διαμάχη Γάλλων και Γερμανών για μερίδιο στα ιταλικά εδάφη, όπως και η διαμάχη Λευκών-Μαύρων, αλλά και οι παπικές έριδες. Οι μισθοφόροι και οι στρατιωτικοί εμφανίζονται, επίσης, σε πολλές σελίδες του βιβλίου και παίζουν καθοριστικό ρόλο στις ιστορικές εξελίξεις.
Στο τρίτο βιβλίο εξετάζει τις συγκρούσεις των οικογενειακών φατριών στην πόλη του Μιλάνου και την άνοδο των Μεδίκων στη Φλωρεντία, δηλαδή τη περίοδο 1353-1414. Το τέταρτο βιβλίο είναι αφιερωμένο στη χρονική περίοδο 1414-1434. Στο πέμπτο βιβλίο, ο συγγραφέας συνεχίζει στον ίδιο τόνο, με κύριο άξονα τη διακυβέρνηση του Κόζιμο των Μεδίκων, δηλαδή τα έτη 1434-1440. Είναι αυτονόητο πως η Ιστορία δίδεται με κάθε λεπτομέρεια και εξετάζονται διεξοδικά τα περισσότερα γεγονότα. Το έκτο βιβλίο καλύπτει τη χρονική περίοδο 1440-1463. Εδώ περιγράφεται πως ακριβώς εγκατέλειψαν οι Ανδεγαυοί κατακτητές τη Νάπολη.
Το έβδομο βιβλίο καλύπτει τα έτη 1427-1478. Εδώ η ένταση και η έκταση των οικογενειακών εριδών τόσο στη Φλωρεντία όσο και στο γειτονικό Μιλάνο, θα εντυπωσιάσει τον αναγνώστη. Συνωμοσίες, απόπειρες δολοφονίας των μελών της οικογένειας μέσα στις εκκλησίες έχουν τη θέση τους εδώ, όπως η περίφημη συνωμοσία των Πάτσι το 1478, αλλά και συνεχείς διαμάχες και στρατιωτικές συγκρούσεις, λεηλασίες και εξεγέρσεις. Το όγδοο και τελευταίο βιβλίο καλύπτει τα έτη 1478 -1492, ως τον θάνατο, δηλαδή, του Λορέντσο των Μεδίκων.
Το συμπέρασμα από όλα αυτά είναι η διαίρεση της ιταλικής χερσονήσου και η φοβερά ταραγμένη ιστορία της, κάτι που εξηγεί για ποιους λόγους η Ιταλία άργησε να γίνει ενιαίο εθνικό κράτος σε σχέση με τη Γαλλία, την Πορτογαλία και την Ισπανία. Οι ίδιοι ακριβώς φατριασμοί και ο κατακερματισμός ίσχυαν και στη Γερμανία, μόνο που εδώ δεν υπήρχαν τόσοι πολλοί επίδοξοι κατακτητές. Οι έριδες μεταξύ των φατριών, οι συνεχείς διαμάχες αρχικά των βαρβάρων, των Αράβων και των Βυζαντινών στην περιοχή, αλλά και των Γάλλων και των Γερμανών στη συνέχεια, αποκαλύπτουν πολλά για την ιστορία της πολύπαθης χερσονήσου, η οποία όμως διατηρούσε, παρ’ όλα αυτά την πιο αναπτυγμένη τραπεζική, εμπορική και αστική ζωή σε όλη την Ευρώπη.
Οπωσδήποτε δεν πρόκειται για βιβλίο που διαβάζει κανείς εύκολα το βράδυ στο κρεβάτι του, καθότι εμπεριέχει αρκετές ιστορικές λεπτομέρειες και δεν αποτελεί αυτό που θα χαρακτήριζε κανείς “ελαφρύ” ανάγνωσμα. Ο Μακιαβέλλι, όμως, έχει το χάρισμα του αφηγητή και προσφέρει με τις “Φλωρεντινές ιστορίες” ένα πολύ χρήσιμο εργαλείο στους ιστορικούς, αλλά και σε όποιον επιθυμεί να εντρυφήσει στην Ιστορία των πρώιμων Νεότερων Χρόνων, της Αναγέννησης δηλαδή στην Ιταλία και του τέλους του Μεσαίωνα. Αξίζει, τέλος, να σημειωθεί ότι η ελληνική μετάφραση συνοδεύεται από πληθώρα επεξηγηματικών για τα γεγονότα του βιβλίου υποσημειώσεων, οπότε ο αναγνώστης κατανοεί πλήρως τα γεγονότα ακόμη κι αν δε είναι κατατοπισμένος στα ιστορικά γεγονότα της εποχής.
Αναδημοσίευση από το τετράγωνο
Ο Μακιαβέλλι έμεινε γνωστός για το έργο του “Ο Ηγεμών” και για το “Η τέχνη του πολέμου“. Φαίνεται όμως πως είχε ταλέντο και στην ιστορική αφήγηση εκτός από την πολιτική θεωρία. Οι “Φλωρεντινές ιστορίες” είναι το τελευταίο μεγάλο έργο του που γράφτηκε κατά παραγγελία του Κλήμη Ζ’, ενός Πάπα που ανήκε στην οικογένεια των Μεδίκων. Ο Μακιαβέλι μάλιστα, πριν από τον πρόλογο, παραθέτει και μία αφιερωτική επιστολή στον Πάπα αυτόν στην οποία εξηγεί ότι δεν αποσκοπεί στο να κολακέψει κανέναν από την οικογένεια των Μεδίκων με το παρόν πόνημα, αλλά απλά παραθέτει τα γεγονότα όπως έγιναν.
Πρόκειται για ένα καθαρά ουμανιστικό έργο, σύμφυτο με το πνεύμα της εποχής στην οποία γράφτηκε. Ο Μακιαβέλι δεν διστάζει να αναφέρει και την προσωπική του άποψη όπου κρίνει ότι είναι απαραίτητο. Δεν παραθέτει, δηλαδή, απλώς τα γεγονότα. Το κείμενο είναι γραμμένο στη φλωρεντινή διάλεκτο και όχι στα λατινικά.
Το έργο χωρίζεται σε οκτώ βιβλία. Το πρώτο είναι αφιερωμένο στην ιστορία ολόκληρης της ιταλικής χερσονήσου, αλλά και του μεσαιωνικού κόσμου με χρονική αφετηρία την κατάληψη της Ρώμης από τους βαρβάρους το 476 μ.Χ. Ο συγγραφέας διατρέχει κατ’ αυτόν τον τρόπο εν τάχει την ευρωπαϊκή μεσαιωνική ιστορία ως την εποχή της Αναγέννησης. Στο δεύτερο βιβλίο αφηγείται την ιστορία της πόλης του, της Φλωρεντίας από το 1250 μέχρι και το 1348, τη χρονιά σταθμός για την Ευρώπη, οπότε και ενέσκηψε ο Μαύρος Θάνατος. Η διαμάχη Γούλεφων (των οπαδών του Πάπα) και των Γιβελίνων (των οπαδών του Αυτοκράτορα) αναλύεται σε μεγάλο μέρος του βιβλίου, όπως και η διαμάχη Γάλλων και Γερμανών για μερίδιο στα ιταλικά εδάφη, όπως και η διαμάχη Λευκών-Μαύρων, αλλά και οι παπικές έριδες. Οι μισθοφόροι και οι στρατιωτικοί εμφανίζονται, επίσης, σε πολλές σελίδες του βιβλίου και παίζουν καθοριστικό ρόλο στις ιστορικές εξελίξεις.
Στο τρίτο βιβλίο εξετάζει τις συγκρούσεις των οικογενειακών φατριών στην πόλη του Μιλάνου και την άνοδο των Μεδίκων στη Φλωρεντία, δηλαδή τη περίοδο 1353-1414. Το τέταρτο βιβλίο είναι αφιερωμένο στη χρονική περίοδο 1414-1434. Στο πέμπτο βιβλίο, ο συγγραφέας συνεχίζει στον ίδιο τόνο, με κύριο άξονα τη διακυβέρνηση του Κόζιμο των Μεδίκων, δηλαδή τα έτη 1434-1440. Είναι αυτονόητο πως η Ιστορία δίδεται με κάθε λεπτομέρεια και εξετάζονται διεξοδικά τα περισσότερα γεγονότα. Το έκτο βιβλίο καλύπτει τη χρονική περίοδο 1440-1463. Εδώ περιγράφεται πως ακριβώς εγκατέλειψαν οι Ανδεγαυοί κατακτητές τη Νάπολη.
Το έβδομο βιβλίο καλύπτει τα έτη 1427-1478. Εδώ η ένταση και η έκταση των οικογενειακών εριδών τόσο στη Φλωρεντία όσο και στο γειτονικό Μιλάνο, θα εντυπωσιάσει τον αναγνώστη. Συνωμοσίες, απόπειρες δολοφονίας των μελών της οικογένειας μέσα στις εκκλησίες έχουν τη θέση τους εδώ, όπως η περίφημη συνωμοσία των Πάτσι το 1478, αλλά και συνεχείς διαμάχες και στρατιωτικές συγκρούσεις, λεηλασίες και εξεγέρσεις. Το όγδοο και τελευταίο βιβλίο καλύπτει τα έτη 1478 -1492, ως τον θάνατο, δηλαδή, του Λορέντσο των Μεδίκων.
Το συμπέρασμα από όλα αυτά είναι η διαίρεση της ιταλικής χερσονήσου και η φοβερά ταραγμένη ιστορία της, κάτι που εξηγεί για ποιους λόγους η Ιταλία άργησε να γίνει ενιαίο εθνικό κράτος σε σχέση με τη Γαλλία, την Πορτογαλία και την Ισπανία. Οι ίδιοι ακριβώς φατριασμοί και ο κατακερματισμός ίσχυαν και στη Γερμανία, μόνο που εδώ δεν υπήρχαν τόσοι πολλοί επίδοξοι κατακτητές. Οι έριδες μεταξύ των φατριών, οι συνεχείς διαμάχες αρχικά των βαρβάρων, των Αράβων και των Βυζαντινών στην περιοχή, αλλά και των Γάλλων και των Γερμανών στη συνέχεια, αποκαλύπτουν πολλά για την ιστορία της πολύπαθης χερσονήσου, η οποία όμως διατηρούσε, παρ’ όλα αυτά την πιο αναπτυγμένη τραπεζική, εμπορική και αστική ζωή σε όλη την Ευρώπη.
Οπωσδήποτε δεν πρόκειται για βιβλίο που διαβάζει κανείς εύκολα το βράδυ στο κρεβάτι του, καθότι εμπεριέχει αρκετές ιστορικές λεπτομέρειες και δεν αποτελεί αυτό που θα χαρακτήριζε κανείς “ελαφρύ” ανάγνωσμα. Ο Μακιαβέλλι, όμως, έχει το χάρισμα του αφηγητή και προσφέρει με τις “Φλωρεντινές ιστορίες” ένα πολύ χρήσιμο εργαλείο στους ιστορικούς, αλλά και σε όποιον επιθυμεί να εντρυφήσει στην Ιστορία των πρώιμων Νεότερων Χρόνων, της Αναγέννησης δηλαδή στην Ιταλία και του τέλους του Μεσαίωνα. Αξίζει, τέλος, να σημειωθεί ότι η ελληνική μετάφραση συνοδεύεται από πληθώρα επεξηγηματικών για τα γεγονότα του βιβλίου υποσημειώσεων, οπότε ο αναγνώστης κατανοεί πλήρως τα γεγονότα ακόμη κι αν δε είναι κατατοπισμένος στα ιστορικά γεγονότα της εποχής.
Αναδημοσίευση από το τετράγωνο
October 5, 2019
För den som vill läsa om annat än konflikter mellan olika grupperingar inom Florens och Florens konflikter med andra stadsstater under renässansen finns mycket lite att hämta från denna bok. Tyvärr finns det för de flesta som är intresserade av konflikter lite och läsa också, om en inte är väl insatt om vilka de olika ledarna var under denna tid. Påve-institutionen känner så klart de flesta till och både Medici och Sforza är namn som får klockor att ringa hos de allmänbildade. Men namnen är långt fler än så och de för mycket sällan någon längre introduktion och försvinner sedan ofta lika snabbt som de kommit. När Machiavelli skrev boken kan dessa namn ha varit välkända namn för alla hos hans tilltänkta läsarkrets, men det är de inte längre idag. Det gör att boken känns extremt repetitiv där en konflikt avhandlas på några få sidor för att sedan följas av en annan på ytan exakt likadan konflikt och så vidare.
Visst ägnar Machiavelli lite tid till annat, bland annat några sidor där han ger personporträtt av av Cosimo de Medici och Lorenzo de Medici och några sidor av generell analys kring konspirationer mot de ledande i olika stadsstater. Men det är runt 10% om ens det av boken.
Det jag fann intressantast i boken är att Machiavelli verkar göra en implicit uppdelning mellan folket och pöbeln. Folket verkar han anse ha en politisk legitimitet som har rätt att göra uppror mot ett orättvist styre och, till skillnad vår idag bredare förståelse av begreppet, tycks han förknippa detta med borgarklassen/de rika köpmännen. Detta folk är ofta i konflikt med "stormännen" (troligen en form av adel) och Machiavelli ställer sig i de flesta fall på folkets sida mot stormännens illegitima maktanspråk.
Detta kan ställas i skarp kontrast mot Machiavellis syn på pöbeln som han enbart har invektiv för och som helt saknar all politisk legitimitet i hans framställning.
Machiavelli framstår, för moderna ögon, genom denna framställning som hycklande. Men det är talande för ett samhälle i förändring och även vilken position i samhället Machiavelli själv har. Det är den framväxande borgarklassens rop efter politiskt inflytande som här kommer till uttryck och som skulle få sitt fullständiga uttryck genom den franska revolutionen 300 år senare.
En bok att skippa för som vill ha en övergripande historia om Florens eller Italien under renässansen och även en bok att skippa för den som är ute efter mer politiska strategier och analyser a la Fursten. Däremot kan det vara en bok värd att läsa för den som är väl insatt i de konfliktfyllda, italienska renässansen som vill få en nästan samtida skildring av dessa konflikter.
Visst ägnar Machiavelli lite tid till annat, bland annat några sidor där han ger personporträtt av av Cosimo de Medici och Lorenzo de Medici och några sidor av generell analys kring konspirationer mot de ledande i olika stadsstater. Men det är runt 10% om ens det av boken.
Det jag fann intressantast i boken är att Machiavelli verkar göra en implicit uppdelning mellan folket och pöbeln. Folket verkar han anse ha en politisk legitimitet som har rätt att göra uppror mot ett orättvist styre och, till skillnad vår idag bredare förståelse av begreppet, tycks han förknippa detta med borgarklassen/de rika köpmännen. Detta folk är ofta i konflikt med "stormännen" (troligen en form av adel) och Machiavelli ställer sig i de flesta fall på folkets sida mot stormännens illegitima maktanspråk.
Detta kan ställas i skarp kontrast mot Machiavellis syn på pöbeln som han enbart har invektiv för och som helt saknar all politisk legitimitet i hans framställning.
Machiavelli framstår, för moderna ögon, genom denna framställning som hycklande. Men det är talande för ett samhälle i förändring och även vilken position i samhället Machiavelli själv har. Det är den framväxande borgarklassens rop efter politiskt inflytande som här kommer till uttryck och som skulle få sitt fullständiga uttryck genom den franska revolutionen 300 år senare.
En bok att skippa för som vill ha en övergripande historia om Florens eller Italien under renässansen och även en bok att skippa för den som är ute efter mer politiska strategier och analyser a la Fursten. Däremot kan det vara en bok värd att läsa för den som är väl insatt i de konfliktfyllda, italienska renässansen som vill få en nästan samtida skildring av dessa konflikter.
September 2, 2017
This less-famous work of Machiavelli depicts a medieval Florence, a city garnished with both classical vestiges and Renaissance innovations, a city identified with arts and wealth, a city known for a family -- the Medici family. While the book covered the history of Florence from its very Roman beginning, the main discussion begins with the year 1215, when the Guelphs and the Ghibellines went to war (Interestingly, 1215 was also the year when the celebrated Magna Carta was signed), and ended in the year 1492, when Lorenzo de'Medici, then Lord of Florence, died (Interestingly, this event which Machiavelli considered the beginning of the downfall of Florence, happened in the year when Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas).
Machiavelli is undoubtedly known for his masterpiece, the Prince, which makes it hard for people to look at this book without thinking about the other. The fact is that Machiavelli not only expressed much of the same idea in this book, he also used extensive historical figures and events as powerful references to his theories. For instance, the aforementioned Lorenzo de'Medici was, to Machiavelli, an almost perfect example of an ideal politician.
What really sets this book apart from all contemporary history books is its focus on the causation, instead of effects of events. Most medieval historians held the mainstream belief that all events were necessarily caused by divine will, hence there was simply no motivation to explore the causation. Machiavelli rejected such belief and focused exclusively on the causes of the political struggles and transition of powers within Florence. This attitude was itself a Renaissance achievement.
In addition, Machiavelli was clearly not a fan of the Pope and the entire apparatus of Roman Curia; yet differing from other critics, Machiavelli tactically pointed out that the corrupted Roman Catholic Chruch was the main cause of all wars, conflicts, and instabilities in Europe -- the direct opposite to which they asserted to themselves. This daring and insightful opinion immediately reminds people of the spirit of the Protestant Reformation decades later; in that sense, Machiavelli was also an ideological prophet of the Reformation.
The book was overall an enjoyable read and it deserves a lot more attention than it currently has.
Machiavelli is undoubtedly known for his masterpiece, the Prince, which makes it hard for people to look at this book without thinking about the other. The fact is that Machiavelli not only expressed much of the same idea in this book, he also used extensive historical figures and events as powerful references to his theories. For instance, the aforementioned Lorenzo de'Medici was, to Machiavelli, an almost perfect example of an ideal politician.
What really sets this book apart from all contemporary history books is its focus on the causation, instead of effects of events. Most medieval historians held the mainstream belief that all events were necessarily caused by divine will, hence there was simply no motivation to explore the causation. Machiavelli rejected such belief and focused exclusively on the causes of the political struggles and transition of powers within Florence. This attitude was itself a Renaissance achievement.
In addition, Machiavelli was clearly not a fan of the Pope and the entire apparatus of Roman Curia; yet differing from other critics, Machiavelli tactically pointed out that the corrupted Roman Catholic Chruch was the main cause of all wars, conflicts, and instabilities in Europe -- the direct opposite to which they asserted to themselves. This daring and insightful opinion immediately reminds people of the spirit of the Protestant Reformation decades later; in that sense, Machiavelli was also an ideological prophet of the Reformation.
The book was overall an enjoyable read and it deserves a lot more attention than it currently has.
July 13, 2025
Цікавий варіант заспокійливого. Книга написана на початку XVI-го століття, відповідно оцей от розмірений, неквапливий стиль. Там де спочатку треба три рази вклонитися, а потім говорити так щоб ніби нікого не образити, але й сказати що збирався. З іншого боку, це все-таки історичні хроніки, що охоплюють майже тисячу років, від падіння Римскої Імперії під натиском варварів, до відкриття Америки Колумбом (саме ця подія не згадується, але оповідь закінчується 1492-м роком), відповідно: великий потік людей, подій, локацій, що потребує певного, але далекого від максимального, рівня концентрації. Й оця лагідна суміш стилю і необхідності зосередитися - відволікає й заспокоює.
В той же час історія Флоренції доволі бурхлива: війни чергуються з “майданами”, “майдани” зі змовами, а “майдани” й змови, в свою чергу, можуть бути більш кривавими ніж війни. Макіавеллі згадує битви в яких ніхто, або майже ніхто, не загинув, і внутрішні сутички між прихильниками різних “партій” в яких постраждала чи не третина міста. Те що тут називають “партіями” - це такі собі кланово-олігархічні, вождиські угрупування, основа їх ворожнечі базується на очікуванні що “якщо не закопаєш ти - закопають тебе”. В разі перемоги однієї з партій, вона вдається до омріяних багатьма “чємодан-вокзал-[Неаполь]” й обмеження громадянських прав. Працює так собі. Вигнанці намагаються повернутися у складі ворожих армій, а обмежені в правах піднімають нові заворушення в мирний час. Більш того: переможці через деякий час самі по собі поділяються на нові партії й починають ворогувати з новою силою. Варіантів якоїсь мирної взаємодії, мирного співіснування не розглядається. Макіавеллі ніби й розуміє проблему, описуючи ці процеси як замкнене коло, та здебільшого концентрується на описі того чому все погано, без конкретних пропозицій, вихваляючи те що ситуативно спрацьовувало.
В цьому виданні (вид-во “Арій”, 2024р.) доволі помічні примітки/коментарі, хоча розташування в кінці кожної з книг - не найкращий варіант. В ідеалі - не завадили б ще мапи Італії і схема Флоренції.
В той же час історія Флоренції доволі бурхлива: війни чергуються з “майданами”, “майдани” зі змовами, а “майдани” й змови, в свою чергу, можуть бути більш кривавими ніж війни. Макіавеллі згадує битви в яких ніхто, або майже ніхто, не загинув, і внутрішні сутички між прихильниками різних “партій” в яких постраждала чи не третина міста. Те що тут називають “партіями” - це такі собі кланово-олігархічні, вождиські угрупування, основа їх ворожнечі базується на очікуванні що “якщо не закопаєш ти - закопають тебе”. В разі перемоги однієї з партій, вона вдається до омріяних багатьма “чємодан-вокзал-[Неаполь]” й обмеження громадянських прав. Працює так собі. Вигнанці намагаються повернутися у складі ворожих армій, а обмежені в правах піднімають нові заворушення в мирний час. Більш того: переможці через деякий час самі по собі поділяються на нові партії й починають ворогувати з новою силою. Варіантів якоїсь мирної взаємодії, мирного співіснування не розглядається. Макіавеллі ніби й розуміє проблему, описуючи ці процеси як замкнене коло, та здебільшого концентрується на описі того чому все погано, без конкретних пропозицій, вихваляючи те що ситуативно спрацьовувало.
В цьому виданні (вид-во “Арій”, 2024р.) доволі помічні примітки/коментарі, хоча розташування в кінці кожної з книг - не найкращий варіант. В ідеалі - не завадили б ще мапи Італії і схема Флоренції.
July 17, 2025
History of Florence from the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the death of Lorenzo de Medici in 1492, as told by Machiavelli. Almost all the page count is dedicated to the time of Dante and after and focuses on the many violent changes in what was almost always a republic rather than a monarchy. The humanist Machiavelli, whose Discourses on Livy are better known, is sad that his people never had the civic virtue of the Romans, which would have led to better behavior than all this infighting. I wish he'd continued it closer to his own time, since one of the most interesting parts, Savonarola's anti-papal Catholic theocratic democracy, replaced the oligarchic Medici republic two years later in 1494.
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October 10, 2021Pay no attention to what you were told in school: Machiavelli had the most clear perception of all different sorts of government of almost anyone, anywhere, in any period. I pull out only one quote to illustrate this book's contemporary relevance: "Real evils were magnified, unreal ones feigned, and the true and the false were equally believed by the people...." The book seems to be unusually long and detailed about obscure matters, but is well worth reading in detail: Florence seems to have been through 20 different sorts of governments. Their description really makes you appreciate the Constitution of the US.
Want to read
November 30, 2020Italian Historian Niccolo Machiavelli's "History of Florence and of the Affairs of Italy" is one of the best history books about Florence! Machiavelli's impressions about "the affairs of Italy" help to understand the history of Florence. Machiavelli thinks the history of Florence in "the unity" of Italy, Machiavelli's political philosophy for Italy was one of the intellectual grounds of the modern unity of Italy. Machiavelli's historiography draws the history of Italy with his "total" view for all Italy! Machiavelli's Florence was one of the symbols of Italian social history.
May 1, 2021
This book totally redeems Machiavelli's character. I read The Prince and thought Machiavelli must have been the Itallian version of Rasputin. But this book shows remarkable insight into politics and the motivations behind civil leaders. He seems remarkably objective. He doesnt seem to have an axe to grind. His purpose and focus reminded me of Thucydides. I would have enjoyed an annotation version more, I fear my general ignorance of that time and place made it difficult to follow what was going on.
January 31, 2022
Ο Νικολό Μακιαβέλι, δημιουργός του Ηγεμόνα, κατά παραγγελία του Πάπα (Φλωρεντινού και Μεδίκου) συνέγραψε την ιστορία της Φλωρεντίας καθώς και των υπολοίπων ιταλικών κρατών από την κατάρρευση της δυτικής ρωμαικής αυτοκρατορίας μέχρι το τέλος του 15ου αιώνα και την εισβολή των Γάλλων. Συγχαρητήρια στις εκδόσεις Αλεξάνδρεια που παρείχαν αυτό το αριστούργημα με πολλές παραπομπές, υποσημειώσεις και χάρτες, καθώς είναι προφανές πως το βιβλίο απευθύνεται σε αναγνώστες φιλίστορες, που έχουν γνώσεις κι ενδιαφέροντα σχετικά με την μεσαιωνική Ιταλία.
April 4, 2023
I wonder what Machiavelli would think if he knew the way his work is interpreted today... if you read his work believing he hates the Medici, which it seems altogether probable he did given that they ruined his political career and tortured him, then it's positively *fascinating.* He will never directly criticize them, but he's not against the odd sub-tweet. As a pure chronicle and source, it's all right, but if you want a primary source of roughly the same material, Bruni is better. Machiavelli goes a little later, but there's no shortage of renaissance chroniclers.
July 18, 2025
At times Machiavelli is very long-winded (I know, it was the writing style of the age), and the endless detail of the battles and shifting loyalties in medieval Italy is therefore hard to follow. That said, this was obviously a tour de force at the time, and is therefore worthy of respect. It did end up being a bitt of a slog, though.
May 3, 2018
The importance of this book on the American 'founders' cannot be understated; many of the ideas regarding property and republicanism, usually attributed to Locke or Rome, are expressed with pungent force here. John Adams, in particular, was moved to write essays debating (as it were) Machiavelli.
January 5, 2021
The most comprehensive elaboration and application of Machiavelli's political philosophy mediated through an uninterrupted sequence of wop-on-wop violence.
January 10, 2021
Translator notes made this almost un readable. These should have been reserved for an annotated bibliography.
Want to read
July 13, 2023very good but i'm in a bit of a dark place so i'll pick something lighter
not dnfing"
not dnfing"
September 23, 2023
Read Book VIII, Chapters 1-9, 36
July 9, 2008
this is a simple direct translation by WK Marriott . The English is current, and complicated clausal interrelations are lain smooth. Rarely does the reader feel unsure of the author's meaning. Not bad for a trade paperback. Now to read it in Italian to see how well it's done. (Not this year).
this following quote is not Marriott's but will do just fine to give a sense of the tone overall, it is from some literature network on the internet;:
from Book VI
"Those who make war have always and very naturally
designed to enrich themselves and impoverish the enemy; neither is victory sought or conquest desirable, except to strengthen themselves and weaken the enemy. Hence it follows, that those who are impoverished by victory or debilitated by conquest, must either have gone beyond, or fallen short of, the end for which wars are made. A republic or a prince is enriched by the victories he obtains, when the enemy is rushed and possession is retained of the plunder and ransom. Victory is injurious when the foe escapes, or when the soldiers appropriate the booty and ransom. In such a case, losses are unfortunate, and conquests still more so; for the vanquished suffers the injuries inflicted by the enemy, and the victor those occasioned by his friends, which being
less justifiable, must cause the greater pain, particularly from a consideration of his being thus compelled to oppress his people by an increased burden of taxation. A ruler possessing any degree of humanity, cannot rejoice in a victory that afflicts his subjects. The victories of the ancient and well organized republics, enabled them to
fill their treasuries with gold and silver won from their enemies, to distribute gratuities to the people, reduce taxation, and by games and solemn festivals, disseminate universal joy. But the victories obtained in the times of which we speak, first emptied the treasury, and then impoverished the people, without giving the victorious party
security from the enemy. This arose entirely from the disorders inherent in their mode of warfare; for the vanquished soldiery, divesting themselves of their accoutrements, and being neither slain nor detained prisoners, only deferred a renewed attack on the conqueror, till their leader had furnished them with arms and horses.
Besides this, both ransom and booty being appropriated by the troops, the victorious princes could not make use of them for raising fresh forces, but were compelled to draw the necessary means from their subjects' purses, and this was the only result of victory experienced by the people, except that it diminished the ruler's reluctance to such a course, and made him less particular about his mode of oppressing them. To such a state had the practice of war been brought by the sort of soldiery then on foot, that the victor and the
vanquished, when desirous of their services, alike needed fresh supplies of money; for the one had to re-equip them, and the other to bribe them; the vanquished could not fight without being remounted, and the conquerors would not take the field without a new gratuity. Hence it followed, that the one derived little advantage from the victory, and the other was the less injured by defeat; for the routed party had to be re-equipped, and the victorious could not pursue his
advantage."
this following quote is not Marriott's but will do just fine to give a sense of the tone overall, it is from some literature network on the internet;:
from Book VI
"Those who make war have always and very naturally
designed to enrich themselves and impoverish the enemy; neither is victory sought or conquest desirable, except to strengthen themselves and weaken the enemy. Hence it follows, that those who are impoverished by victory or debilitated by conquest, must either have gone beyond, or fallen short of, the end for which wars are made. A republic or a prince is enriched by the victories he obtains, when the enemy is rushed and possession is retained of the plunder and ransom. Victory is injurious when the foe escapes, or when the soldiers appropriate the booty and ransom. In such a case, losses are unfortunate, and conquests still more so; for the vanquished suffers the injuries inflicted by the enemy, and the victor those occasioned by his friends, which being
less justifiable, must cause the greater pain, particularly from a consideration of his being thus compelled to oppress his people by an increased burden of taxation. A ruler possessing any degree of humanity, cannot rejoice in a victory that afflicts his subjects. The victories of the ancient and well organized republics, enabled them to
fill their treasuries with gold and silver won from their enemies, to distribute gratuities to the people, reduce taxation, and by games and solemn festivals, disseminate universal joy. But the victories obtained in the times of which we speak, first emptied the treasury, and then impoverished the people, without giving the victorious party
security from the enemy. This arose entirely from the disorders inherent in their mode of warfare; for the vanquished soldiery, divesting themselves of their accoutrements, and being neither slain nor detained prisoners, only deferred a renewed attack on the conqueror, till their leader had furnished them with arms and horses.
Besides this, both ransom and booty being appropriated by the troops, the victorious princes could not make use of them for raising fresh forces, but were compelled to draw the necessary means from their subjects' purses, and this was the only result of victory experienced by the people, except that it diminished the ruler's reluctance to such a course, and made him less particular about his mode of oppressing them. To such a state had the practice of war been brought by the sort of soldiery then on foot, that the victor and the
vanquished, when desirous of their services, alike needed fresh supplies of money; for the one had to re-equip them, and the other to bribe them; the vanquished could not fight without being remounted, and the conquerors would not take the field without a new gratuity. Hence it followed, that the one derived little advantage from the victory, and the other was the less injured by defeat; for the routed party had to be re-equipped, and the victorious could not pursue his
advantage."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2011
First, it should be noted that this is a political history, and does not address the cultural or arts of the period. I liked it and thought it showed the difficulties of governance in an area and era of factions; and factions are a significant factor in different parts of the world today. Machiavelli’s vies is that it is good and healthy to have differences between parties; the discussions and the checks on powers leads to greater safety and prosperity. When the parties degenerate to factions, people suffer unfairly, national treasuries are wasted, and vengeance for past wrongs prevails over the visions for the future benefits.
Keep notes and draw pictures, because the playbook changes quickly. The book is partitioned into eight sections. In the first of these, Machiavelli covers about 1000 years of the Italian peninsula in about 40 pages. This period, from about mid 5th century to mid 15th century, includes the Vandals, Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Goths, Lomdards, Normands, German, Swiss, French, Spanish, Moors, Huns, and others along with the principal city states like Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence, Naples, Sicily, Bologna, Ferrara, Montova, Padova, and the Papal States.
After the first section, Machiavelli then starts to focus on the history of Florence. The pace of the book changes, but there is still a good deal of change going on - - change in the alliances between different states, changes I the leading factions, and changes in who is leading the armies. For example, Francesco Sforza led the army for Florence, sometimes for Venice, and Sometimes for Milan.
I looked at a couple of different translations. Some were late 19th century; however, I suggest a more modern translation. Have access to a map.
Keep notes and draw pictures, because the playbook changes quickly. The book is partitioned into eight sections. In the first of these, Machiavelli covers about 1000 years of the Italian peninsula in about 40 pages. This period, from about mid 5th century to mid 15th century, includes the Vandals, Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Goths, Lomdards, Normands, German, Swiss, French, Spanish, Moors, Huns, and others along with the principal city states like Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence, Naples, Sicily, Bologna, Ferrara, Montova, Padova, and the Papal States.
After the first section, Machiavelli then starts to focus on the history of Florence. The pace of the book changes, but there is still a good deal of change going on - - change in the alliances between different states, changes I the leading factions, and changes in who is leading the armies. For example, Francesco Sforza led the army for Florence, sometimes for Venice, and Sometimes for Milan.
I looked at a couple of different translations. Some were late 19th century; however, I suggest a more modern translation. Have access to a map.
September 14, 2013
The wisdom that dominates The Prince and The Discourses on Livy merely adorns this text. It is received history, reworked from earlier chronicles, with dense narrative and only brief discussions. We find here not Machiavelli the political philosopher but Machiavelli the literary stylist.
In the first half, there are several episodes of high drama: the birth of the Guelphs and Ghibellines in petty family squabbles, the defeat of the tyranny of the Duke of Athens, the Revolt of the Ciompi and the radical reforms of Michele di Lando, the rise of the Medici.
When Cosimo de' Medici begins his domination of Florentine politics, Machiavelli broadens his focus to the shifting alliances of northern Italy. A numbing series of marches and battles are described, at times humorously. There is a barely disguised frustration with the ineptitude of the various Italian armies, where battles were often bloodless demonstrations of horsemanship and posing.
Concerning therule of the Medici, Machiavelli treads lightly. He wrote it at the behest of Cardinal Giulio de' Medici (later made Pope Clement VII, whose lack of resolve lead to the infamous sack of Rome in 1527), and his circumspection on the political careers of Cosimo and Lorenzo was dictated by his hope of regaining the favor the family.
In short, this at times gripping and at times tedious work is redeemed by the peerless insights of one of the greatest political thinkers of all time.
In the first half, there are several episodes of high drama: the birth of the Guelphs and Ghibellines in petty family squabbles, the defeat of the tyranny of the Duke of Athens, the Revolt of the Ciompi and the radical reforms of Michele di Lando, the rise of the Medici.
When Cosimo de' Medici begins his domination of Florentine politics, Machiavelli broadens his focus to the shifting alliances of northern Italy. A numbing series of marches and battles are described, at times humorously. There is a barely disguised frustration with the ineptitude of the various Italian armies, where battles were often bloodless demonstrations of horsemanship and posing.
Concerning therule of the Medici, Machiavelli treads lightly. He wrote it at the behest of Cardinal Giulio de' Medici (later made Pope Clement VII, whose lack of resolve lead to the infamous sack of Rome in 1527), and his circumspection on the political careers of Cosimo and Lorenzo was dictated by his hope of regaining the favor the family.
In short, this at times gripping and at times tedious work is redeemed by the peerless insights of one of the greatest political thinkers of all time.
January 7, 2015
Sr. Machiavelli got me right from the first paragraph of this book. He starts his history of contemporary Florentine History (dating from the 1500s) by reaching back to recall the Germanic custom of dividing their population into thirds and sending one third of the people out of the land to find and colonize a place of their own, thus relieving overcrowding in the homeland. Four centuries later, when Hitler was preaching "Lebensraum" to the Nazis, did you know he was recalling millennia of cultural Germanic migrations? It doesn't justify what was done to the countries Hitler invaded; but it sure adds perspective to how Hitler's politics were understood by the people of Germany.
Everyone should read Machiavelli. Much of his political thought is timeless, as relevant today as it was hundreds of years ago. And, surprisingly, it is written so well, it is still quite readable today.
Everyone should read Machiavelli. Much of his political thought is timeless, as relevant today as it was hundreds of years ago. And, surprisingly, it is written so well, it is still quite readable today.
September 18, 2015
"If you only notice human proceedings, you may observe that all who attain great power and riches, make use of either force or fraud; and what they have acquired either by deceit or violence, in order to conceal the disgraceful methods of attainment, they endeavor to sanctify with the false title of honest gains. Those who either from imprudence or want of sagacity avoid doing so, are always overwhelmed with servitude and poverty; for faithful servants are always servants, and honest men are always poor; nor do any ever escape from servitude but the bold and faithless, or from poverty, but the rapacious and fraudulent. God and nature have thrown all human fortunes into the midst of mankind; and they are thus attainable rather by rapine than by industry, by wicked actions rather than by good. Hence it is that men feed upon each other, and those who cannot defend themselves must be worried. "
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January 3, 2014It's my first book on Florentine history and I know it contains a lot of inaccuracies. On itself the read is pretty enjoyable. Like all those ancient historians Machiavelli narrated history like stories. It contained few dates, which could be confusing but on the other hand saved me the trouble of trying to remember them anyway. He commented amply on the characters and events and it's interesting to see the historian's perspective.
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May 8, 2012For Italy.
Currently reading
May 6, 2011Reading the Everyman's Library version, 1922, found today in Hyde Park at O'Gara & Wilson. Original printing 1909.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews