Machiavelli as a dramatist the ultimate symbol of virtú in "Mandragola", as a ‘self-portrait’ of Machiavelli. Ligurio assembles the spectrum of schemes in the play, from the Mandrake potion, to Frate Timoteo's assistance, to Callimaco's disguise and capture by Nicia. Though every character in the play participates in some form of a manipulative act, Ligurio stands out because of his impressive adaptability to tribulations. Even more extraordinary is Ligurio's aptitude for judging human character. This comprehension of character is the type of awareness that is necessary for successful acts of manipulation. One of the many places we experience Ligurio's qualitative insight is in his
House of Machiavelli Medici came back in power in 1512. This house, including the attached tavern L'Albergaccio, is described in one of his most famous letters to Francesco Vettori from 10 December 1513. In this letter, Machiavelli described his typical day characterized by daily work to run the farm and the nights spent in the restaurant playing with the owner and the local butcher. He spent the rest of the night reading, and writing his most important book entitled The Prince (De Principatibus: il Principe), a masterpiece of modern political science. The house is still owned by the Machiavelli family and more recently