The Prince — Page 4
Whereas the magnificence of the Medicean rule during the life of Lorenzo appeared to have impressed Machiavelli strongly, for he frequently recurs to it in his writings, and it is to Lorenzo's grandson that he dedicates _The Prince_.
La magnificencia del gobierno mediceo durante la vida de Lorenzo parece haber impresionado profundamente a Maquiavelo, pues frecuentemente vuelve a ella en sus escritos, y es al nieto de Lorenzo a quien dedica _El príncipe_.
Machiavelli, in his "History of Florence," gives us a picture of the young men among whom his youth was passed.
Maquiavelo, en su «Historia de Florencia», nos ofrece un retrato de los jóvenes entre quienes transcurrió su juventud.
He writes: "They were freer than their forefathers in dress and living, and spent more in other kinds of excesses, consuming their time and money in idleness, gaming, and women; their chief aim was to appear well dressed and to speak with wit and acuteness, whilst he who could wound others the most cleverly was thought the wisest."
Escribe: «Eran más libres que sus antepasados en el vestir y en el vivir, y gastaban más en otro tipo de excesos, consumiendo su tiempo y su dinero en la ociosidad, el juego y las mujeres; su principal objetivo era parecer bien vestidos y hablar con ingenio y agudeza, mientras que aquel que podía herir a los demás con mayor habilidad era considerado el más sabio».
In a letter to his son Guido, Machiavelli shows why youth should avail itself of its opportunities for study, and leads us to infer that his own youth had been so occupied.
En una carta a su hijo Guido, Maquiavelo explica por qué la juventud debe aprovechar sus oportunidades de estudio, y nos lleva a inferir que su propia juventud había estado dedicada a ello.
He writes: "I have received your letter, which has given me the greatest pleasure, especially because you tell me you are quite restored in health, than which I could have no better news; for if God grant life to you, and to me, I hope to make a good man of you if you are willing to do your share.
Escribe: «He recibido tu carta, que me ha dado el mayor de los placeres, especialmente porque me dices que te has recuperado del todo en salud, noticia que no podría ser mejor para mí; pues si Dios te concede vida a ti y a mí, espero hacer de ti un buen hombre si estás dispuesto a poner de tu parte.
Vocabulary
- magnificencia
- Grandeur, splendor, or impressive magnificence
- gobierno
- Government or ruling administration of a state
- mediceo
- Relating to the Medici family of Florence
- durante
- During; throughout a period of time
- vida
- Life; the existence of a living person
- parece
- Seems or appears to be something
- haber
- Auxiliary verb 'to have' used in compound tenses
- impresionado
- Impressed; deeply affected by something remarkable
- profundamente
- Deeply or profoundly, to a great degree
- pues
- Well; since; therefore; used as a connector
- frecuentemente
- Frequently; often; on many occasions
- vuelve
- Returns or comes back to something
- escritos
- Writings; texts produced by an author
- nieto
- Grandson; male grandchild of a person
- quien
- Who; relative pronoun referring to a person
- dedica
- Dedicates; devotes a work to someone
- Historia
- History; account of past events
- ofrece
- Offers or provides something to someone
- retrato
- Portrait or depiction of a person or group
- jóvenes
- Young people; youths of a community
- entre
- Among or between people or things
- quienes
- Who; plural relative pronoun for people
- transcurrió
- Passed or elapsed, referring to time going by
- juventud
- Youth; the period of being young
- Escribe
- Writes; third-person singular present of escribir
- más
- More; comparative adverb indicating greater degree
- libres
- Free; not restricted or constrained
- antepasados
- Ancestors; people from whom one is descended
- vestir
- To dress or wear clothing
- vivir
- To live; to exist or experience life
- gastaban
- They spent or wasted money or resources
- otro
- Other or another; indicating a different thing
- tipo
- Type or kind of something
- excesos
- Excesses; behaviors beyond normal or acceptable limits
- consumiendo
- Consuming; using up time, money, or resources
- tiempo
- Time; also weather depending on context
- dinero
- Money; currency used for transactions
- ociosidad
- Idleness; state of being lazy or unproductive
- juego
- Game or gambling; playful or risky activity
- mujeres
- Women; adult female persons
- principal
- Main or principal; most important or primary
- objetivo
- Objective or goal; aim one seeks to achieve
- parecer
- To seem or appear; to give an impression
- bien
- Well; good; in a satisfactory manner
- vestidos
- Dressed; wearing clothing, or dresses as a noun
- hablar
- To speak or talk with others
- ingenio
- Wit or ingenuity; clever mental ability
- agudeza
- Sharpness or keenness of mind; wit
- mientras
- While; during the same time as something else
- aquel
- That one; demonstrative pronoun indicating distance
- podía
- Could; was able to; imperfect of 'poder'
- herir
- To wound or hurt someone physically or emotionally
- demás
- Others; the rest of the people around
- mayor
- Greater or older; comparative of 'grande'
- habilidad
- Skill or ability; competence in doing something
- considerado
- Considered or regarded; seen as being something
- sabio
- Wise; a person of great knowledge and wisdom
- carta
- Letter; written message sent to someone
- hijo
- Son; male child of a parent
- explica
- Explains; makes something clear or understandable
- debe
- Must or should; expresses obligation or duty
- aprovechar
- To take advantage of or make use of opportunities
- oportunidades
- Opportunities; favorable circumstances for action
- estudio
- Study; the act of learning or a room for working
- lleva
- Leads or carries; causes one to infer something
- inferir
- To infer or deduce a conclusion from evidence
- propia
- Own; belonging to oneself; self-related
- había
- Had been; imperfect of 'haber' as auxiliary
- estado
- Been; past participle of 'estar'; also 'state'
- dedicada
- Dedicated; devoted to a purpose or person
- ello
- It; neuter pronoun referring to an abstract idea
- recibido
- Received; gotten something from someone
- dado
- Given; past participle of 'dar'
- placeres
- Pleasures; enjoyable or satisfying experiences
- especialmente
- Especially; particularly above other things
- porque
- Because; gives reason or cause for something
- dices
- You say; second-person singular of 'decir'
- recuperado
- Recovered; returned to good health or condition
- todo
- All or everything; entire or complete amount
- salud
- Health; state of physical and mental well-being
- noticia
- News or piece of information received
- podría
- Could or would be able to; conditional of 'poder'
- ser
- To be; essential verb of identity or nature
- mejor
- Better or best; comparative of 'bueno'
- si
- If; conditional conjunction introducing a clause
- Dios
- God; supreme deity in Christian tradition
- concede
- Grants or concedes; gives something to someone
- espero
- I hope or I wait; first-person of 'esperar'
- hacer
- To make or do; very common Spanish verb
- buen
- Good; short form of 'bueno' before masculine noun
- hombre
- Man; adult male human being
- estás
- You are; second-person singular of 'estar'
- dispuesto
- Willing or prepared to do something
- poner
- To put or place; also to contribute effort
- parte
- Part; portion or role one contributes
Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.
Create free account →