Rhetoric as a Balancing of Ends: Cicero and Machiavelli

Autore: Remer, Gary
Titolo: Rhetoric as a Balancing of Ends: Cicero and Machiavelli
Anno edizione: 2009
Parole chiave: Héritage - Fortuna - Legacy, Philosophie - Filosofia - Philosophy, Rhétorique - Retorica - Rhetorics
Descrizione: Despite their similarities, Cicero and Machiavelli differ from each other in that Cicero, in contrast to Machiavelli, openly affirms that politics is incomplete without a dual commitment to the good (honestum) and the beneficial (utile). This chapter examines Machiavelli’s focus on the useful and public as opposed to Cicero’s additional commitment to the honorable and to the private. It contrasts the pursuit of glory in Machiavelli, which was preoccupied with appearances and the search for immortality, with Cicero's ambivalent attitude toward glory. This chapter also discusses Cicero's "decorum," which is not only a matter of expediency but also a moral duty. [Author]
Sigla autore: Remer 2009