A vivid and lively account of Machiavelli's life and times by the noted Italian historian, originally published in 1892. This biography of Machiavelli which tries to unravel the mystery of the character of this Florentine Secretary, either portrayed as a monster of perfidy or as the noblest and purest of patriots, the book provides background on Italy, the Italian Renaissance, and Machiavelli's life from 1469 to 1512. This title is cited and recommended by: Books for College Libraries; Catalogue of the Lamont Library, Harvard College; and The American Historical Association's Guide to Historical Literature.