LITERATURE AND DEATH -- Aet. 43-58--1512-27

On the return of the Medici, Machiavelli, who for a few weeks had
vainly hoped to retain his office under the new masters of Florence, was
dismissed by decree dated 7th November 1512. Shortly after this he was
accused of complicity in an abortive conspiracy against the Medici,
imprisoned, and put to the question by torture. The new Medicean people,
Leo X, procured his release, and he retired to his small property at San
Casciano, near Florence, where he devoted himself to literature. In a
letter to Francesco Vettori, dated 13th December 1513, he has left
a very interesting description of his life at this period, which
elucidates his methods and his motives in writing "The Prince." After
describing his daily occupations with his family and neighbours, he
writes: "The evening being come, I return home and go to my study; at
the entrance I pull off my peasant-clothes, covered with dust and dirt,
and put on my noble court dress, and thus becomingly re-clothed I
pass into the ancient courts of the men of old, where, being lovingly
received by them, I am fed with that food which is mine alone; where I
do not hesitate to speak with them, and to ask for the reason of their
actions, and they in their benignity answer me; and for four hours I
feel no weariness, I forget every trouble, poverty does not dismay,
death does not terrify me; I am possessed entirely by those great men.
And because Dante says:

Knowledge doth come of learning well retained,
Unfruitful else,

I have noted down what I have gained from their conversation, and have
composed a small work on 'Principalities,' where I pour myself out
as fully as I can in meditation on the subject, discussing what a