The Book of the Courtier

“In short, you want to know what kind of man you want to serve the name of a perfect courtier.” 

The Book of the Courtier influenced and represented the European Renaissance. Upon the publication of Sir Thomas Hoby’s English translation in 1561, the book had a profound influence on upperclass society. The Book of the Courtier became a kind of handbook for the English gentleman. A representative of the Renaissance man, the book taps in to one of the most profound concerns of the Renaissance; man’s relationship to the divine, and his place within the universe. Many of the political and philosophical tensions of the time were embodied by the figure of the courtier. 

“For if one is too forgiving with a transgressor, one injures the innocent.” 

The topic of justice was central to the political discussions in Europe at the time that The Book of the Courtier was written. 

“Steer away from affectation at all costs, as if it were rough and dangerous brief, and to practice in all things a certain nonchalance which conceals all artistry and makes whatever one does or says uncontrived and effortless.” 

The ultimate proof of a courtier is his capacity for sprezzatura, the capacity to make it appear that one’s talents are entirely natural, though in reality they have been honed through many years of effort.