《过去和现在》是毛姆最重要的历史小说之一,故事的发生地设置在他最感兴趣的国家意大利,历史背景定格在最风起云涌、浓墨重彩、最富有戏剧性的文艺复兴时期,中心人物则是影响深远的政治家、外交家、哲学家和作家尼科洛•马基雅维里。十六世纪初,意大利在政治上四分五裂,各种小暴君和小僭主凭借武力,在各自野心的驱使下四处征伐掳掠。意大利文艺复兴的中心佛罗伦萨共和国靠巨额的贡奉,在法国国王的荫庇和雇佣军的保护下偏安一隅。此时教皇的私生子瓦伦丁诺公爵切萨雷•博尔贾在教皇以及法王路易十二的支持下攻城略地,成为最炙手可热的政治新星以及对佛罗伦萨威胁最大的野心家。一五○二年,处于公爵武力要挟之下的佛罗伦萨共和国派执政团第二厅的首席秘书马基雅维里出使公爵的临时宫廷所在地伊莫拉,与公爵进行谈判。在那风云变幻的三个月期间,马基雅维里亲眼见证公爵如何攻城略地、斩杀权臣、消灭对手,领略...(Then and Now is one of the important historical novels of Maugham. The locality of the story is set in Italy, the country that he is most interested in. The historical background is fixed in the most surging, colorful and dramatic Renaissance. The central character is Niccolo Machiavelli, an influential politician, diplomat, philosopher and writer. In the early Sixteenth Century, Italy was politically split. Various little despots and tyrants conquered and plundered everywhere by force driven by their own ambitions. Republic of Florence, the center of Italian Renaissance, was content to exercise sovereignty over a part of the country under the protection of the King of France and mercenary armies depending on huge tributes. At this time, Duke of Valentinois Cesare Borgia, a bastard of the pope, captured territory with the support of the pope and Louis XII of France and became the hottest new political star and the careerist with largest threat to Florence. In 1502, Machiavelli, Chief Secretary of the Second Department of the Signoria of the Republic of Florence, went to Imola, location of the temporary palace of the duke, to negotiate with the duke. During the three months of rapid changes, Machiavelli witnessed how the duke captured territory, killed powerful ministers and destroyed the opponents.)
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