Machiavelli in Context | The Fate of Machiavelli's Works (Lecture 23)

Lecture 23: The Prince and Discourses on the First Ten Books of Livy were privately circulated but not published in Machiavelli’s lifetime. When they were printed in the years following his death in 1527, they soon found themselves on the papacy’s Index of Prohibited Books. Later in the 16th century, the principal works were translated into French. Machiavelli became known in England largely through the writings of French political thinkers who had access to his works.

Lecture 23: The Prince and Discourses on the First Ten Books of Livy were privately circulated but not published in Machiavelli’s lifetime. When they were printed in the years following his death in 1527, they soon found themselves on the papacy’s Index of Prohibited Books. Later in the 16th century, the principal works were translated into French. Machiavelli became known in England largely through the writings of French political thinkers who had access to his works.

In the 17th century, Machiavelli’s works were translated into English and, thus, directly entered into the political writings of the era of the crises and temporary destruction of the English monarchy. The ongoing political discourse from England later entered the thoughts and works of writers in the American colonies. Hence, at least indirectly, Machiavelli’s republican thought contributed to the development of an American republican tradition.

Recommended Readings:
J. G. A. Pocock, The Machiavellian Moment, chapters 11, 12, 15, pp. 361–422 and 506–552.