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.
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.
The letter briefly informs F. Vettori of M.’s release from prison and then stages the first of M.’s numerous and persistent requests for help to return to public service under the rule of the Medici. M. thus expresses his wish to resume his political activity as soon as possible. This subject will inform most of the correspondence between M. and F. Vettori.
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.
