In1520theFlorentinemerchantsagainhadrecoursetoMachiavellitosettletheirdifficultieswithLucca, butthisyearwaschieflyremarkableforhisre-entryintoFlorentineliterarysociety, wherehewasmuchsoughtafter, andalsofortheproductionofhis "ArtofWar." ItwasinthesameyearthathereceivedacommissionattheinstanceofCardinalde' Medicitowritethe "HistoryofFlorence," , foranoldwriterobservesthat "anablestatesmanoutofwork, likeahugewhale, willendeavourtooverturntheshipunlesshehasanemptycasktoplaywith."
Whenthe "HistoryofFlorence" wasfinished, MachiavellitookittoRomeforpresentationtohispatron, Giulianode' Medici, , as, in1513, Machiavellihadwritten "ThePrince" fortheinstructionoftheMediciaftertheyhadjustregainedpowerinFlorence, so, in1525, hededicatedthe "HistoryofFlorence" , andleftFrancisIaprisonerinthehandsofhisgreatrival, , uponthenewsofwhichthepopularpartyatFlorencethrewofftheyokeoftheMedici, whowereoncemorebanished.
MachiavelliwasabsentfromFlorenceatthistime, buthastenedhisreturn, hopingtosecurehisformerofficeofsecretarytothe "TenofLibertyandPeace." UnhappilyhewastakenillsoonafterhereachedFlorence, wherehediedon22ndJune1527.
THEMANANDHISWORKS
