Of course, the idea in itself was not entirely new. One of the ablest historians of the fifteenth century, Philippe Monnier, has clearly pointed out that already in the twelfth century the centre of reality had been lowered from the celestial heights and firmly planted in the breast of man. The polemics on Frederick II’s definition of nobility are an assertion of the part played by man’s individuality in the formation of the world. After two centuries of Humanism, noble birth is an absurdity. For Piccolomini, Ficino, Landino, man cannot be born noble, he can only become noble through his own exertions. The Stoic precept of the absolute autonomy of the human will is frequently alluded to in discussion on the power of Fortune, against which Leone Battista Alberti strenuously asserts the power of man to forge his own destiny. Alberti, typical representative of the Renaissance, in all his moral works, emphasises the freedom of man from all external influences and above all from the dominion of Chance, and for him man’s life is a consequence of man’s actions. Neither Fate nor Chance are a cause of the varying circumstances of individuals. Having these doctrines before him, Machiavelli was able to apply to the life of nations the ideas that governed the life of the individual. Rome had been powerful and glorious; Italy is weak and contemptible: the cause is the moral corruption of the Italians. Machiavelli does not always consider Italy’s invaders as barbarians; he is always ready to study their institutions and ways of living in order to discover the reasons for their military superiority. He firmly believes that Fortune can only display her power where no “virtue” has prepared a resistance. Italy, “_vituperio del mondo_,” will certainly return to her former strength could the Italians be aroused from their torpor. His attitude is identical with that of Mussolini’s government: Italy is slighted by the Allies, she is financially weak, the cause is the scepticism and self-indulgence of the people, the remedy a stricter conception of life for adults and a more religious education for children. Fortune, however, is not quite identified with Fate, and, while the latter is unhesitatingly rejected, the former is retained as a kind of background against which man can display more efficiently his will and “virtue.” This background, which he calls Fortune or Opportunity, is no less a conception than Croce’s “situation of facts.” His “verità effettuale delle cose” is the objective knowledge of the Crocian “situazione de fatto” and must be ascertained anew before embarking on any new action, for, according to the shrewd Florentine, “sono le cose umane sempre in moto.” It is, therefore, necessary to take one’s bearings before embarking on any course to realise one’s will. The best type of will is that which draws its strength from an intimate knowledge of actual circumstances and is consequently steady and resolute. Hence