p. 17-18). The most noted of his diplomatic missions, however, is the one he took in 1502 to the court of Cesare Borgia in Romagne. He did not look forward to his trip there, but once he arrived and saw how Borgia used caution and cruelty to govern his people, he was immediately drawn to such leadership. Machiavelli observed how Borgia had taken all the land that he held through terrorism and tyranny, and he based his most famous work, known as The Prince, on Borgia's method of governing. When Machiavelli returned to Florence in early 1503, he did so with deep respect and admiration for the political audacity and prudence of Borgia (Downs, Books That Changed the World, p. 19).
             Nine years later, Soderini was deposed from the Florentine government when the great banking family of the Medici came to the city's gates and the citizens felt that a change in government was necessary (Wedgwood, The Spoils of Time, p. 345). Machiavelli was expelled from his post as Second Chancellor and he was exiled from Florence. Shortly thereafter, Machiavelli was implicated in the conspiracy of trying to murder a member of the Medici family and was sentenced to prison ("Niccolo Machiavelli", Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy). He was released from incarceration after Giovanni de Medici was elected to the Papacy in 1513. Unable to participate in government, Machiavelli retired to a farm near Casciano. Having lost everything he had and barely able to support himself and his family, Machiavelli turned to writing. It was during this time that he wrote The Prince - dedicated to Medici and based on Borgia - The Discourses, The Art of War, and History of Florence, all of which focused mostly on ancient and new forms of politics (Downs, Books That Changed the World, p. 18). Machiavelli died in the place of his birth, Florence, Italy, on June 20, 1527, having nothing more to show for his life's work than his offspring that were born to him by Marietta Cors...