ABSTRACT
The young Machiavelli had a vigorous humanist education, was taught Latin by good teachers and had access to much of the best of classical history and ideas. Little is known about the rest of his life until, at the surprisingly young age of 29 in 1498, he was recognized by the Signory and Secretary for his administrative talents, and was elected to the responsible post of Chancellor of the Second Chancery. He is also given duties in the Council of the Ten of Liberty and Peace (formerly Ten of War), which dealt with Florentine foreign affairs (Villari 1888, Jensen 1960, Skinner 1979 and 1981).
