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The Prince — Page 9

English → Fr Preface Level 8/10

This result was attained in the battle of Vaila, when Venice lost in one day all that she had won in eight hundred years.

Ce résultat fut atteint lors de la bataille de Vaila, quand Venise perdit en un seul jour tout ce qu'elle avait gagné en huit cents ans.

Florence had a difficult part to play during these events, complicated as they were by the feud which broke out between the pope and the French, because friendship with France had dictated the entire policy of the Republic.

Florence eut un rôle difficile à jouer durant ces événements, d'autant plus compliqués qu'ils étaient marqués par la querelle qui éclata entre le pape et les Français, car l'amitié avec la France avait dicté toute la politique de la République.

When, in 1511, Julius II finally formed the Holy League against France, and with the assistance of the Swiss drove the French out of Italy, Florence lay at the mercy of the Pope, and had to submit to his terms, one of which was that the Medici should be restored.

Lorsqu'en 1511, Jules II forma finalement la Sainte Ligue contre la France et, avec l'aide des Suisses, chassa les Français d'Italie, Florence se trouva à la merci du pape et dut se soumettre à ses conditions, dont l'une était que les Médicis devaient être rétablis.

The return of the Medici to Florence on 1st September 1512, and the consequent fall of the Republic, was the signal for the dismissal of Machiavelli and his friends, and thus put an end to his public career, for, as we have seen, he died without regaining office.

Le retour des Médicis à Florence le 1er septembre 1512, et la chute consécutive de la République, fut le signal du renvoi de Machiavel et de ses amis, mettant ainsi fin à sa carrière publique, car, comme nous l'avons vu, il mourut sans avoir retrouvé de charge.

LITERATURE AND DEATH — Æt. 43-58—1512-27

LITTÉRATURE ET MORT — Æt. 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.

Au retour des Médicis, Machiavel, qui pendant quelques semaines avait vainement espéré conserver sa charge sous les nouveaux maîtres de Florence, fut renvoyé par un décret daté du 7 novembre 1512.

Shortly after this he was accused of complicity in an abortive conspiracy against the Medici, imprisoned, and put to the question by torture.

Peu après, il fut accusé de complicité dans une conspiration avortée contre les Médicis, emprisonné et soumis à la question par la torture.

The new Medicean pope, Leo X, procured his release, and he retired to his small property at San Casciano, near Florence, where he devoted himself to literature.

Le nouveau pape médicéen, Léon X, obtint sa libération, et il se retira dans sa petite propriété de San Casciano, près de Florence, où il se consacra à la littérature.

Vocabulary

résultat
Result or outcome of an action or event
fut
Past tense of 'être'; was (simple past)
atteint
Reached or achieved a goal or result
lors
At the time of; used in 'lors de'
bataille
A battle or military combat between forces
quand
Conjunction or adverb meaning 'when'
Venise
Venice, a famous city in northeastern Italy
perdit
Lost something; simple past of 'perdre'
seul
Alone, single, or only one
jour
A day; a 24-hour period of time
tout
All, everything, or entirely
avait
Imperfect of 'avoir'; had (in the past)
gagné
Won or earned through effort or competition
huit
The number eight
cents
Hundreds; plural of 'cent' meaning one hundred
ans
Years; plural of 'an' meaning one year
eut
Simple past of 'avoir'; had
rôle
A role or part played in a situation
difficile
Difficult or hard to accomplish or understand
jouer
To play; to perform a role or action
durant
During; throughout a period of time
événements
Events; things that happen over a period
autant
As much, as many, or all the more so
compliqués
Complicated or complex in nature
étaient
Imperfect of 'être'; were (in the past)
marqués
Marked or characterized by notable features
querelle
A quarrel or dispute between parties
éclata
Broke out or erupted suddenly (simple past)
entre
Preposition meaning 'between' two or more things
pape
The Pope; head of the Catholic Church
Français
French people or the French language
car
Conjunction meaning 'because' or 'for'
amitié
Friendship or friendly relationship between people
dicté
Dictated or determined the direction of something
politique
Policy or political approach of a government
République
A republic; a state governed by elected officials
Lorsqu'
When; conjunction used before a vowel sound
forma
Formed or established (simple past of 'former')
finalement
Finally or ultimately, after a long process
Sainte
Holy or saint; feminine form of 'saint'
Ligue
League or alliance of states or parties
contre
Preposition meaning 'against' or 'opposed to'
aide
Help, assistance, or support given to someone
chassa
Drove out or expelled (simple past of 'chasser')
Italie
Italy, a country in southern Europe
trouva
Found or found itself (simple past of 'trouver')
merci
Mercy; at the mercy of someone's power
dut
Had to; simple past of 'devoir'
soumettre
To submit or yield to authority or conditions
conditions
Terms or requirements imposed in an agreement
dont
Relative pronoun meaning 'of which' or 'whose'
était
Imperfect of 'être'; was (describing past state)
devaient
Were supposed to; imperfect of 'devoir'
être
To be; the infinitive of the verb 'be'
rétablis
Restored or reinstated to a former position
retour
Return; coming back to a place or power
septembre
September; the ninth month of the year
chute
Fall or downfall of a person or government
consécutive
Consecutive or directly following as a result
signal
Signal or sign triggering a subsequent event
renvoi
Dismissal or expulsion from a position or job
amis
Friends; plural of 'ami' meaning friend
mettant
Putting or placing; present participle of 'mettre'
ainsi
Thus, in this way, or consequently
fin
End or conclusion of something
carrière
Career or professional life of a person
publique
Public; relating to the general community or state
comme
As or like; used for comparison or manner
avons
First-person plural of 'avoir'; we have
vu
Seen; past participle of 'voir' (to see)
mourut
Died; simple past of 'mourir'
sans
Preposition meaning 'without'
avoir
To have; infinitive of the auxiliary verb
retrouvé
Found again or regained something previously lost
charge
An official position, duty, or public office
LITTÉRATURE
Literature; written works of artistic or intellectual value
MORT
Death; the end of life
pendant
During or for a period of time
quelques
A few or some; indicating a small number
semaines
Weeks; plural of 'semaine' meaning one week
vainement
In vain; without success or result
espéré
Hoped for; past participle of 'espérer'
conserver
To keep, preserve, or maintain something
sous
Preposition meaning 'under' or 'beneath'
nouveaux
New; masculine plural form of 'nouveau'
maîtres
Masters or rulers in a position of authority
renvoyé
Dismissed or sent away from a position
décret
A decree or official order issued by authority
daté
Dated; bearing a specific date on a document
novembre
November; the eleventh month of the year
Peu
Little; a small amount or shortly (peu après)
après
After; following in time or order
accusé
Accused of wrongdoing or participation in a crime
complicité
Complicity; involvement in a wrongdoing or conspiracy
conspiration
A conspiracy or secret plot against authority
avortée
Failed or aborted; did not come to fruition
emprisonné
Imprisoned or put in jail by authorities
soumis
Subjected to or submitted to something
question
Torture by questioning; judicial interrogation under pain
torture
Infliction of severe pain to extract information
nouveau
New; indicating a recent or different thing
obtint
Obtained or secured; simple past of 'obtenir'
libération
Liberation or release from captivity or prison
retira
Withdrew or retired; simple past of 'se retirer'
petite
Small or little; feminine form of 'petit'
propriété
Property or estate owned by a person
près
Near or close to a place or thing
Where; relative adverb indicating a place
consacra
Devoted or dedicated himself to an activity
littérature
Literature; the art of written creative or scholarly works
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