Bandello, la scientia mali e Machiavelli. Alcune osservazioni sul dittico III, 55

Abstract

This essay examines Matteo Bandello’s arguments against Machiavelli in "Novelle", III, 55. Concentrating on the sententia “non esser mala cosa a saper il male, ma bene essere degno d’eterno biasimo chi il male mette in opera”, this article analyses it in Bandello’s work, as well as in the scholastic and homiletic traditions. It reconsiders the notions of ‘tristizia’ and ‘male’ in Machiavelli’s "Discorsi sopra la prima Deca di Tito Livio" and attempts to throw light on all the polemic aspects both in the reprimand and in the preachers’ apology, as narrated by the storyteller, Francesco Torre.

Keywords

• matteo bandello
• machiavelli
• novelle
• discorsi sopra la prima deca di tito livio