The Prince — Page 13
In 1520 the Florentine merchants again had recourse to Machiavelli to settle their difficulties with Lucca, but this year was chiefly remarkable for his re-entry into Florentine literary society, where he was much sought after, and also for the production of his "Art of War."
En 1520, los mercaderes florentinos recurrieron nuevamente a Maquiavelo para resolver sus dificultades con Lucca, pero este año fue notable principalmente por su reincorporación a la sociedad literaria florentina, donde era muy solicitado, y también por la producción de su «Arte de la Guerra».
It was in the same year that he received a commission at the instance of Cardinal de' Medici to write the "History of Florence," a task which occupied him until 1525.
Fue en ese mismo año cuando recibió el encargo, a instancias del cardenal de' Medici, de escribir la «Historia de Florencia», una tarea que lo ocupó hasta 1525.
His return to popular favour may have determined the Medici to give him this employment, for an old writer observes that "an able statesman out of work, like a huge whale, will endeavour to overturn the ship unless he has an empty cask to play with."
Su regreso al favor popular pudo haber determinado que los Medici le otorgaran este empleo, pues un antiguo escritor observa que «un hábil estadista sin trabajo, como una enorme ballena, intentará volcar el barco a menos que tenga un tonel vacío con el que jugar».
When the "History of Florence" was finished, Machiavelli took it to Rome for presentation to his patron, Giuliano de' Medici, who had in the meanwhile become pope under the title of Clement VII.
Cuando la «Historia de Florencia» estuvo terminada, Maquiavelo la llevó a Roma para presentársela a su mecenas, Giuliano de' Medici, quien entretanto había llegado a ser papa con el título de Clemente VII.
It is somewhat remarkable that, as, in 1513, Machiavelli had written _The Prince_ for the instruction of the Medici after they had just regained power in Florence, so, in 1525, he dedicated the "History of Florence" to the head of the family when its ruin was now at hand.
Es bastante notable que, así como en 1513 Maquiavelo había escrito El príncipe para instrucción de los Medici después de que estos acababan de recuperar el poder en Florencia, en 1525 dedicara la «Historia de Florencia» al jefe de la familia cuando su ruina estaba ya próxima.
In that year the battle of Pavia destroyed the French rule in Italy, and left Francis I a prisoner in the hands of his great rival, Charles V.
En ese año, la batalla de Pavía destruyó el dominio francés en Italia y dejó a Francisco I como prisionero en manos de su gran rival, Carlos V.
Vocabulary
- En
- Preposition indicating location, time, or manner
- los
- Definite article, masculine plural: the
- mercaderes
- Merchants; people who buy and sell goods
- florentinos
- Relating to or from Florence, Italy
- recurrieron
- They resorted to or turned to someone for help
- nuevamente
- Again; once more; anew
- a
- Preposition meaning to, at, or toward
- para
- Preposition meaning for, in order to
- resolver
- To resolve or solve a problem or difficulty
- sus
- Possessive adjective meaning his, her, their, your
- dificultades
- Difficulties; challenges; problems encountered
- con
- Preposition meaning with
- pero
- Conjunction meaning but, however
- este
- Demonstrative adjective or pronoun meaning this
- año
- Year; a period of twelve months
- fue
- Past tense of ser/ir: was or went
- notable
- Notable; remarkable; worthy of attention
- principalmente
- Principally; mainly; above all else
- por
- Preposition meaning by, for, because of
- su
- Possessive adjective meaning his, her, its, your
- reincorporación
- Reincorporation; rejoining a group or organization
- la
- Definite article, feminine singular: the
- sociedad
- Society; a community or organized group of people
- literaria
- Literary; relating to literature and writing
- florentina
- Florentine; relating to Florence, feminine form
- donde
- Where; relative adverb indicating place
- era
- Imperfect past of ser: was, used to be
- muy
- Very; adverb intensifying adjectives or adverbs
- solicitado
- In demand; sought after; frequently requested
- y
- Conjunction meaning and
- también
- Also; too; as well
- producción
- Production; creation of a work or product
- de
- Preposition meaning of, from, about
- Arte
- Art; skill; a creative or practical discipline
- Guerra
- War; armed conflict between groups or nations
- Fue
- Past tense of ser/ir: was or went
- en
- Preposition meaning in, on, at
- ese
- Demonstrative adjective meaning that
- mismo
- Same; itself; used for emphasis
- cuando
- When; conjunction or adverb of time
- recibió
- He/she received something given or sent
- el
- Definite article, masculine singular: the
- encargo
- Commission; task assigned to someone
- instancias
- Instances; requests or urging from someone
- del
- Contraction of de + el: of the
- cardenal
- Cardinal; high-ranking official in the Catholic Church
- escribir
- To write; to compose text or a document
- Historia
- History; account of past events
- una
- Indefinite article, feminine singular: a, an
- tarea
- Task; assignment; job to be completed
- que
- Relative pronoun or conjunction meaning that, which
- lo
- Direct object pronoun meaning him, it
- ocupó
- Occupied; kept someone busy with work
- hasta
- Until; up to a point in time or space
- Su
- Possessive adjective: his, her, its, your
- regreso
- Return; coming back to a place or status
- al
- Contraction of a + el: to the
- favor
- Favor; approval or support from others
- popular
- Popular; well-liked or accepted by many people
- pudo
- Past tense of poder: could, was able to
- haber
- To have; auxiliary verb used in compound tenses
- determinado
- Determined; caused; brought about a result
- le
- Indirect object pronoun meaning to him, her, you
- otorgaran
- They would grant or award something to someone
- empleo
- Employment; job; work position
- pues
- Since; well; for; because; connective word
- un
- Indefinite article, masculine singular: a, an
- antiguo
- Old; ancient; former; from earlier times
- escritor
- Writer; author who creates literary works
- observa
- Observes; notes; remarks upon something seen
- hábil
- Skillful; clever; capable; able
- estadista
- Statesman; skilled political leader or diplomat
- sin
- Without; lacking something
- trabajo
- Work; job; labor; employment
- como
- Like; as; how; comparison conjunction
- enorme
- Enormous; very large in size or degree
- ballena
- Whale; large marine mammal
- intentará
- Will try; will attempt to do something
- volcar
- To overturn; to capsize; to tip over
- barco
- Ship; boat; watercraft for travel
- menos
- Less; fewer; minus
- tenga
- Subjunctive of tener: have, holds
- tonel
- Barrel; large cask for storing liquids
- vacío
- Empty; void; containing nothing
- jugar
- To play; to engage in a game or activity
- Cuando
- When; at the time that something happened
- estuvo
- Past tense of estar: was, located or in a state
- terminada
- Finished; completed; brought to an end
- llevó
- He/she took or brought something somewhere
- presentársela
- To present it to him/her; deliver formally
- mecenas
- Patron; wealthy supporter of arts or literature
- quien
- Who; relative pronoun referring to a person
- entretanto
- Meanwhile; in the meantime
- había
- Past perfect auxiliary of haber: had
- llegado
- Arrived; reached a destination or status
- ser
- To be; fundamental Spanish linking verb
- papa
- Pope; head of the Roman Catholic Church
- título
- Title; name or designation given to someone
- Es
- Present tense of ser: is
- bastante
- Quite; enough; rather; fairly
- así
- Thus; so; in this way
- escrito
- Written; past participle of escribir
- El
- Definite article, masculine singular: the
- príncipe
- Prince; a ruler or member of royalty
- instrucción
- Instruction; guidance; education or directive
- después
- After; afterward; later in time
- estos
- Demonstrative pronoun, masculine plural: these
- acababan
- They had just; imperfect of acabar de
- recuperar
- To recover; to regain something previously lost
- poder
- Power; ability; also: to be able to
- dedicara
- Subjunctive of dedicar: dedicate, devote to
- jefe
- Chief; leader; head of a group or family
- familia
- Family; a group of related people
- ruina
- Ruin; destruction; collapse of power or fortune
- estaba
- Imperfect of estar: was, in a state or place
- ya
- Already; now; used for emphasis or impatience
- próxima
- Near; next; imminent; close in time or space
- batalla
- Battle; a military fight or engagement
- destruyó
- Destroyed; completely ruined or demolished something
- dominio
- Dominion; control; rule over a territory
- francés
- French; relating to France or its people
- dejó
- Left; allowed; caused someone to remain
- prisionero
- Prisoner; person captured and held captive
- manos
- Hands; also used figuratively meaning control
- gran
- Great; large; important; grand
- rival
- Rival; competitor; opponent
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