Past and Present (collected Works of Somerset Maugham)
About This Novel
"Past and Present" is one of Maugham's most important historical novels. The story takes place in Italy, the country he was most interested in. The historical background is set in the most turbulent, colorful and dramatic Renaissance period. The central character is Niccolò Machiavelli, a far-reaching politician, diplomat, philosopher and writer. At the beginning of the sixteenth century, Italy was politically divided. Various petty tyrants and petty tyrants used force to conquer and plunder everywhere, driven by their own ambitions. The Republic of Florence, the center of the Italian Renaissance, relied on huge tributes and was sheltered under the patronage of the French king and the protection of mercenaries. At this time, Cesare Borgia, Duke of Valentino, the pope's illegitimate son, conquered the city with the support of the pope and French King Louis XII, and became the hottest new political star and the careerist who threatened Florence the most. In 1502, under the threat of force from the Duke, Machiavelli, the chief secretary of the Second Chamber of the Consulate of the Florentine Republic, sent an envoy to Imola, the seat of the Duke's temporary palace, to negotiate with the Duke. During those three tumultuous months, Machiavelli witnessed with his own eyes how the Duke captured cities, captured powerful officials, and eliminated opponents, and experienced...
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