Machiavelli and Moses
Abstract
The present essay studies Machiavelli’s assessment of Moses as it emerges from The Prince and Discourses on Livy. In these works Machiavelli interprets the role of the Biblical leader starting from the analogy between Moses and other founder of states. In this light Moses is interpreted as a new prince who acts on the social body out of the imperative of political necessity, and whose religious initiative has a political function. In addition, the essay considers the differences between the rightful political action of Moses (an armed prophet turning to violence out of necessity) and the limitations and shortcomings of the political actions of the two Florentine leaders Girolamo Savonarola and Piero Soderini.
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