The Prince — Page 8
It is impossible to follow here the varying fortunes of the Italian states, which in 1507 were controlled by France, Spain, and Germany, with results that have lasted to our day; we are concerned with those events, and with the three great actors in them, so far only as they impinge on the personality of Machiavelli.
È impossibile seguire qui le alterne vicende degli stati italiani, che nel 1507 erano controllati da Francia, Spagna e Germania, con risultati che sono durati fino ai nostri giorni; ci occupiamo di quegli eventi, e dei tre grandi protagonisti di essi, solo nella misura in cui incidono sulla personalità di Machiavelli.
He had several meetings with Louis XII of France, and his estimate of that monarch's character has already been alluded to.
Ebbe diversi incontri con Luigi XII di Francia, e la sua valutazione del carattere di quel monarca è già stata accennata.
Machiavelli has painted Ferdinand of Aragon as the man who accomplished great things under the cloak of religion, but who in reality had no mercy, faith, humanity, or integrity; and who, had he allowed himself to be influenced by such motives, would have been ruined.
Machiavelli ha ritratto Ferdinando d'Aragona come l'uomo che compì grandi imprese sotto il manto della religione, ma che in realtà non aveva misericordia, fede, umanità o integrità; e che, se si fosse lasciato influenzare da tali motivi, sarebbe stato rovinato.
The Emperor Maximilian was one of the most interesting men of the age, and his character has been drawn by many hands; but Machiavelli, who was an envoy at his court in 1507-8, reveals the secret of his many failures when he describes him as a secretive man, without force of character—ignoring the human agencies necessary to carry his schemes into effect, and never insisting on the fulfilment of his wishes.
L'imperatore Massimiliano fu uno degli uomini più interessanti dell'epoca, e il suo carattere è stato descritto da molte penne; ma Machiavelli, che fu inviato alla sua corte nel 1507-8, rivela il segreto dei suoi numerosi fallimenti quando lo descrive come un uomo riservato, privo di forza di carattere — che ignorava gli strumenti umani necessari per attuare i suoi piani, e non insisteva mai nel far rispettare i propri desideri.
The remaining years of Machiavelli's official career were filled with events arising out of the League of Cambrai, made in 1508 between the three great European powers already mentioned and the pope, with the object of crushing the Venetian Republic.
Gli anni restanti della carriera ufficiale di Machiavelli furono riempiti da eventi scaturiti dalla Lega di Cambrai, stipulata nel 1508 tra le tre grandi potenze europee già menzionate e il papa, con l'obiettivo di schiacciare la Repubblica Veneziana.
Vocabulary
- impossibile
- Something that cannot be done or achieved.
- seguire
- To follow, track, or keep up with something.
- qui
- In this place; at this location.
- alterne
- Alternating, shifting, or changing in turns.
- vicende
- Events, affairs, or turns of fortune over time.
- stati
- States or political entities; also past participle of 'essere'.
- italiani
- Relating to Italy or its people and culture.
- controllati
- Controlled, governed, or held under authority.
- Francia
- The country France, located in western Europe.
- Spagna
- The country Spain, located in southwestern Europe.
- Germania
- The country Germany, located in central Europe.
- risultati
- Results, outcomes, or consequences of actions or events.
- durati
- Lasted, endured, or persisted over a period of time.
- fino
- Up to, until, or as far as a point.
- giorni
- Days; periods of twenty-four hours.
- occupiamo
- We deal with, occupy ourselves with, or focus on.
- quegli
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'those' (masculine plural, distant).
- eventi
- Events, occurrences, or happenings of significance.
- grandi
- Great, large, or important in size or significance.
- protagonisti
- Main actors, protagonists, or key figures in events.
- solo
- Only, alone, or just; limited to one thing.
- misura
- Measure, extent, or degree of something.
- cui
- Relative pronoun meaning 'which', 'whom', or 'whose'.
- incidono
- They affect, impact, or have influence on something.
- personalità
- Personality, character, or individual traits of a person.
- Ebbe
- Third person singular passato remoto of 'avere'; he had.
- diversi
- Several, various, or different in number or kind.
- incontri
- Meetings, encounters, or face-to-face interactions.
- valutazione
- Evaluation, assessment, or judgment of something or someone.
- carattere
- Character, nature, or personal qualities of an individual.
- quel
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' (masculine singular, distant).
- monarca
- A monarch, king, or sole ruler of a state.
- già
- Already, previously, or by this time.
- accennata
- Mentioned, hinted at, or briefly referred to earlier.
- ritratto
- Portrayed, depicted; also a portrait or representation.
- l'uomo
- The man; a human male individual.
- compì
- He accomplished, carried out, or completed an action.
- imprese
- Enterprises, deeds, or bold undertakings and ventures.
- sotto
- Under, beneath, or below something in position or guise.
- manto
- Cloak, mantle, or covering; figuratively a pretext or guise.
- religione
- Religion, faith, or organized system of spiritual belief.
- realtà
- Reality, truth, or the actual state of things.
- misericordia
- Mercy, compassion, or pity shown toward others.
- fede
- Faith, trust, belief, or loyalty toward someone or something.
- umanità
- Humanity, human nature, or compassion for fellow people.
- integrità
- Integrity, honesty, or moral uprightness of character.
- fosse
- Third person singular imperfect subjunctive of 'essere'; were.
- lasciato
- Left, allowed, or let something happen; past participle of 'lasciare'.
- influenzare
- To influence, affect, or exert power over someone.
- tali
- Such, those kinds of; referring to previously mentioned things.
- motivi
- Motives, reasons, or motivations behind actions or behavior.
- sarebbe
- Third person singular conditional of 'essere'; he/she would be.
- stato
- Been (past participle of 'essere'); also state or nation.
- rovinato
- Ruined, destroyed, or brought to a state of ruin.
- L'imperatore
- The emperor; supreme ruler of an empire.
- fu
- Third person singular passato remoto of 'essere'; he/she was.
- uomini
- Men; plural of 'uomo', adult male human beings.
- più
- More, most; used in comparisons or to indicate greater degree.
- interessanti
- Interesting, engaging, or capturing attention and curiosity.
- dell'epoca
- Of the era, period, or historical time in question.
- descritto
- Described, depicted, or portrayed in writing or speech.
- molte
- Many, numerous (feminine plural); a large quantity of something.
- penne
- Pens or quills; writers; also a type of pasta.
- inviato
- Sent, dispatched; also an envoy or special representative.
- corte
- Court, as in a royal or imperial court or courtyard.
- rivela
- Reveals, discloses, or uncovers previously hidden information.
- segreto
- Secret, hidden, or confidential; something kept from others.
- numerosi
- Numerous, many, or a large number of things or people.
- fallimenti
- Failures, collapses, or bankruptcies; lack of success.
- quando
- When; at the time that a specific event occurs.
- descrive
- Describes, portrays, or gives an account of something.
- uomo
- Man; an adult male human being.
- riservato
- Reserved, secretive, or keeping things to oneself.
- privo
- Lacking, deprived of, or without a particular quality.
- forza
- Force, strength, or power; physical or moral energy.
- ignorava
- He/she ignored or was unaware of something; imperfect tense.
- strumenti
- Instruments, tools, or means used to accomplish something.
- umani
- Human (masculine plural); relating to people or human nature.
- necessari
- Necessary, required, or essential for a particular purpose.
- attuare
- To implement, carry out, or put plans into practice.
- piani
- Plans, schemes, or strategies for achieving a goal.
- insisteva
- He/she insisted, persisted, or kept pressing a point.
- mai
- Never, ever; used with negation or in emphatic questions.
- rispettare
- To respect, comply with, or observe rules and wishes.
- propri
- Own (masculine plural); belonging to oneself, one's own.
- desideri
- Desires, wishes, or wants of a person.
- anni
- Years; periods of twelve months in time.
- restanti
- Remaining, leftover, or yet to come after a point.
- carriera
- Career, professional life, or course of employment.
- ufficiale
- Official, formal, or authorized; relating to an official role.
- furono
- Third person plural passato remoto of 'essere'; they were.
- riempiti
- Filled, occupied, or taken up with activities or events.
- scaturiti
- Arising, springing, or originating from a source or cause.
- Lega
- League, alliance, or coalition of political or military powers.
- stipulata
- Stipulated, agreed upon, or formally established by contract.
- tra
- Preposition meaning 'between', 'among', or 'within'.
- potenze
- Powers, major states, or influential political entities.
- europee
- European (feminine plural); relating to the continent of Europe.
- menzionate
- Mentioned, cited, or previously referred to in discussion.
- papa
- The Pope; head of the Roman Catholic Church.
- l'obiettivo
- The objective, goal, or aim of an action or plan.
- schiacciare
- To crush, squash, or overwhelm a person or entity.
- Repubblica
- Republic; a state governed by elected representatives.
- Veneziana
- Venetian; relating to Venice or the Republic of Venice.
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