On Machiavelli and Marcos

Controversial ‘Prince’: Almost three months into office, Marcos – navigating a treacherous internal and external political landscape – has shown that he may have learned a thing or two from Machiavelli, says the writer. – AP

AT the Palazzo Vecchio, the political beating heart of Florence, one can easily be visually overwhelmed by the aesthetic legacy of the finest artists of the past millennia. At once, the iconic building, towering over the picturesque Piazza della Signoria, captures the passionate history and historical passions of the city’s finest citizens.

Here, kings were toppled, revolutions were launched, and republics were made and remade against the greatest odds. The Palazzo houses variegated portrayals, both in painting and sculpture, of the thousand elements that made Florence a civilizational hub at the dawn of modernity. Subtle and self-serving references to ancient myths and warriors, especially from the Graeco-Roman world, expressly bolstered the legitimacy of Florentine leaders, most notably the House of Medici.