Discourses on Livy. By Niccolò Machiavelli FULL Audiobook
Niccolò Machiavelli's work "Discourses on Livy" is a profound exploration of political theory and governance. Let me provide you with a detailed summary:

1. Structure and Context:
- The book consists of three volumes, subdivided into a total of 142 discourses—comparatively brief chapters that resemble essays.
- Notably, this number aligns precisely with the number of books in Livy's monumental work, Ab Urbe Condita ("From the Founding of the City").

2. Ancient Rome and Contemporary Politics:
- Machiavelli begins by lamenting the reluctance of his contemporaries to study or emulate ancient political achievements.
- Despite praising antiquity in literature and the arts, they fail to learn from its political wisdom.
- The author weaves examples from both antiquity and his own era to illustrate key points.

3. Founding Cities and Conflict:
- Machiavelli delves into the founding of cities, emphasizing the enduring conflict between patricians (nobility) and plebeians (common people) in early Rome.
- He underscores the importance of understanding this struggle for contemporary governance.

4. Religion and Stability:
- The second section focuses on Numa Pompilius, Rome's second king (715–673 BCE).
- Numa effectively used religion to foster stability in government and society.
- Machiavelli contrasts this with the detrimental influence of the Roman Catholic Church in his own time.

5. Corruption and Succession:
- Machiavelli explores the causes and effects of corruption.
- He discusses the critical topic of succession, drawing lessons from both ancient and contemporary examples.

6. Maintaining Military Strength:
- Well-organized princes and republics must maintain a strong national army.
- The tale of the combat between the Horatii of Rome and the Curiatii of Alba illustrates the need to be prepared for risks.
- Reformers should retain established names and customs, as appearances often sway people more than reality.

7. Decline and Agrarian Law:
- The decline of the late Roman Republic stemmed partly from the agrarian law, passed in the 2nd century BCE.
- This law disrupted the balance of power between nobles and commoners.

8. Military Leadership and Goodwill:
- Machiavelli emphasizes the reliability of soldiers who fight for their own glory over mercenaries or auxiliaries.
- The position of dictator in ancient Rome serves as a positive example, while the history of the decemvirs (10-man commissions) provides a negative one.

In summary, Discourses on Livy offers timeless insights into governance, drawing from both historical and contemporary contexts. Machiavelli's exploration of ancient Rome's political dynamics remains relevant for all republics seeking stability and effective leadership .
More: Niccolò Machiavelli, Discourses on Livy, Political philosophy
History, Italian writer, 16th century
Ninian Hill Thomson, Translation, First Ten of Titus Livy
Political history, Philosophy, Early modern
Rome, Cities, Beginnings

00:00:00 Discourses on Livy. Book I
00:09:23 II
00:22:26 III
00:25:00 IV
00:29:15 V
00:35:10 VI
00:46:30 VII
00:53:28 VIII
00:59:58 IX
01:06:07 X
01:14:22 XI
01:21:33 XII
01:28:05 XIII
01:33:01 XIV
01:37:18 XV
01:40:52 XVI
01:49:08 XVII
01:54:22 XVIII
02:02:44 XIX
02:07:01 XX
02:08:16 XXI
02:11:08 XXII
02:13:03 XXIII
02:17:48 XXIV
02:20:49 XXV
02:23:02 XXVI
02:24:57 XXVII
02:27:23 XXVIII
02:30:16 XXIX
02:37:30 XXX
02:41:24 XXXI
02:45:10 XXXII
02:47:37 XXXIII
02:53:28 XXXIV
02:59:43 XXXV
03:03:21 XXXVI
03:05:38 XXXVII
03:13:12 XXXVIII
03:19:42 XXXIX
03:23:34 XL
03:36:07 XLI
03:37:39 XLII
03:38:34 XLIII
03:40:24 XLIV
03:42:36 XLV
03:46:39 XLVI
03:50:24 XLVII
03:58:14 XLVIII
03:59:11 XLIX
04:04:54 L
04:07:37 LI
04:09:09 LII
04:13:59 LIII
04:21:45 LIV
04:24:03 LV
04:34:05 LVI
04:36:17 LVII
04:39:15 LVIII
04:50:48 LIX
04:55:41 LX
04:58:27 Book II. I
05:06:55 II
05:21:00 III
05:24:52 IV
05:35:54 V
05:40:32 VI
05:45:28 VII
05:46:55 VIII
05:55:15 IX
05:58:37 X
06:06:07 XI
06:08:23 XII
06:17:42 XIII
06:21:59 XIV
06:24:56 XV
06:31:10 XVI
06:40:28 XVII
06:55:18 XVIII
07:05:45 XIX
07:15:48 XX
07:20:15 XXI
07:25:02 XXII
07:30:47 XXIII
07:40:01 XXIV
07:57:10 XXV
08:00:47 XXVI
08:04:37 XXVII
08:11:08 XXVIII
08:14:53 XXIX
08:20:59 XXX
08:28:59 XXXI
08:32:01 XXXII
08:39:51 XXXIII
08:43:34 Book III. I
08:54:55 II
08:58:22 III
09:01:36 IV
09:03:43 V
09:07:27 VI
09:59:09 VII
10:01:10 VIII
10:07:50 IX
10:12:33 X
10:21:41 XI
10:26:19 XII
10:34:07 XIII
10:38:23 XIV
10:44:23 XV
10:47:49 XVI
10:53:39 XVII
10:55:52 XVIII
11:01:49 XIX
11:04:51 XX
11:07:34 XXI
11:13:13 XXII
11:25:05 XXIII
11:27:27 XXIV
11:30:42 XXV
11:35:05 XXVI
11:37:29 XXVII
11:43:21 XXVIII
11:46:51 XXIX
11:49:33 XXX