The Immersion Library

And if in other things some errors are made, in the things of war all are made.

Like ancient Greek philosophers, Machiavelli presents a dialogue regarding his theories on a properly created and ordered land army based on learnings from ancient Rome. He presumably positions himself as a fictional character named Fabrizio who lectures and responds to young students, addressing topics such as: the origins of a virtuous soldier, the orders and armaments of an effective army in battle, encamped and during siege. If one wishes to study such concepts, looking for articulated diagrams and a cold dissemination of information, add this book to your collegiate reading list.

If one, however, looks for character and literary engagement, take a different class. I found myself finishing this book simply for the sake of finishing it.

As I limped toward the end, I did note one theme which lends credibility to Machiavelli as a literary force.

During the early Renaissance, Humanism rooted itself within Italian academic and artisan culture; this idea that pagan culture and Christian religion can co-exist in terms of human characteristics. Machiavelli’s thesis for Art of War begins by asserting how ancient Roman military practices can teach the current Italian city state how to wage war with virtue and efficacy. The old can make the new better. Fabrizio, the older scholar, teaches inquisitive students, the younger generation. The virtue of ancient Roman princes such as Caesar should manifest itself in the avaricious princes of the modern Italian city state who hire mercenaries to wage their wars. Knowing nothing other than the current mode of warfare within Italy, the younger students innocently, though ignorantly, question Fabrizio about his ideas and receive his polite but blunt and irritated responses. According to Fabrizio, directly mirroring ancient practices will not necessarily strengthen the modern military but applying their concepts to modern challenges will create a new military theory suited to their times. Ironically, the old perspective more readily abandons legacy thinking than the new, arrogant generation. “…my intention has not been to show you exactly how the ancient military was made, but how in these times one might order a military that would have more virtue than the one that is used [today].”

This book has a very niche market; like a collegiate textbook for your poli-sci class. But I do find it timeless in the way that every generation should build on the old rather than abandon it. Even in military orders, each generation ought not to seek a new genesis according to what makes sense to their novice mind, but humble themselves to first learn and then create.