03-01-1526
M. replies to Guicciardini’s doubts concerning the performance of the Mandragola in Faenza and comments on the political situation and the eventuality of war.
Niccolò Machiavelli to Francesco Guicciardini
Discover the different practices and forms of Machiavellian otium across a selection of letters taken from Niccolò Machiavelli’s correspondence between 1512 and 1527.
M. replies to Guicciardini’s doubts concerning the performance of the Mandragola in Faenza and comments on the political situation and the eventuality of war.
Guicciardini gives instructions to M. concerning the performance of Mandragola in Faenza and emphasizes the importance of comedy during times of hardship.
M. explains idiomatic and proverbial expressions from his Mandragola, which were unclear to Guicciardini. He provides a report on the state of the preparations in Florence as to the performance of this comedy in Faenza.
Nerli provides an assessment of the situation of the “brigata”, i.e. their circle of friends in Florence, and congratulates the absent M. on his inclusion in the “squittino”, i.e. his admission to the elections for public office.
M. starts to exchange ideas with F. Guicciardini about the plan to stage La Mandragola in the Romagna.
Nerli congratulates M. on the tremendous success of his Clizia staged on the Florentine countryside in the gardens of “Il Fornaciaio” (Jacopo di Filippo Falconetti).
Soderini presents an offer of employment to M. and urges him to enter into the service of Prospero Colonna instead of becoming a client of the Medici.
Nerli writes about the circulation of M.’s latest writings, which he had not been able to read at that time. In particular, he requests a copy of M.’s De re militari, i. e. the Libro dell’arte della Guerra (Art of War), which Giulio de’ Medici has shown some interest in. Moreover, he passes on an additional request from Lucrezia Salviati for a comment on a contemporary text about the life of Alexander the Great.
Della Palla relays the good news to M. that he will receive an official commission by the Medici for writing the History of Florence.
M.’s description of the collapse of the Soderini government and the return of the Medici after the atrocities committed by the Spanish army during the sack of Prato.
