Sublime

The gamester never plays the card the opponent expects, still less that which he wants.

Dans ses Discours, Machiavel définit la politique républicaine comme une promesse « d’asservir la fortune, de lui enlever les moyens de manifester son extrême puissance » (II, 30). Le « vivre politique » qui distingue le citoyen d’une république du sujet soumis aux décisions des rois suppose que nous ne soyons pas les jouets d’un destin écrit par d

D’où l’importance de l’État de droit et des contre-pouvoirs mais aussi de l’éducation des citoyens à la liberté dont ils doivent assumer la responsabilité ultime. La démocratie n’est donc pas garantie par la Providence ou par un principe transcendant mais par l’engagement des hommes au service de la liberté, ce qui relève d’une forme de pari pascal

Ruthless in a pragmatic way, Ludovico cloaked his calculated cruelty with pretenses of courtesy, culture, and civility. Tutored by the distinguished Renaissance humanist Francesco Filelfo in painting and writing, he sought to legitimize his power and prestige, along with that of Milan, by attracting great scholars and artists to the Sforza court. H

The Prince is very explicit in repudiating received morality where the conduct of rulers is concerned. A ruler will perish if he is always good; he must be as cunning as a fox and as fierce as a lion. There is a chapter (XVIII) entitled: “In What Way Princes Must Keep Faith.” We learn that they should keep faith when it pays to do so, but not other

And as Augustine already anticipated, infinite desires in a finite world means endless competition, which in turn is why, as Hobbes insisted, our only hope of social peace lies in contractual arrangements and strict enforcement by the apparatus of the state.

for mankind always act in order to obtain that which they think good.

“All courses of action are risky, so prudence is not in avoiding danger (it’s impossible), but calculating risk and acting decisively. Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer.” –Niccolò Machiavelli

Take all that you have and be poor. […] As soon as the generals and the politicos can predict the motions of your mind, lose it. Leave it as a sign to mark the false trail, the way you didn’t go. Be like the fox who makes more tracks than necessary, some in the wrong direction. Practice resurrection.