Belphagor -or the Marriage of the Devil

The end justifies the means...!

eBook DESCRIPTION

A short story (in the 16th century termed a novella) in which a devil, Belfagor, is sent to earth - an ancient and widespread motif which probably has an Aarne-Thompson number. This might reflect Machiavelli?s idea or principle which implying ?End justifies the means?, and that one should always consider the end in the first place and how it can be reached.

eBook TAGS

Tyrannical Rule, Greatness, Political Strategy, Political Science, Political Philosophy, Fortune, Virtue, War, Human Nature, Power

eBook EXCERPT or SYNOPSIS

The devils in charge of hell hear that many of the newly damned men are blaming their wives for their damnation. A council of devils decides to investigate, to protect their own reputation. They select Belfagor to go to Earth as a man, get married and report back about "matrimony." He gets married, proves ill prepared for marriage and he falls in to ruin and flees the city. To save himself he promises to make Gianmatteo, a poor farmer, into a rich man, in exchange for hiding him. To fullfill his promise, he possesses a young woman and lets Gianmatteo take credit for the eventual exorcism. The first time it works, then Belfagor offers to do it again with a princess, so Gianmatteo will make more money. This also works, and Gianmatteo thinks he can retire a rich man. But later, Belfagor possesses the princess of France and the King of France calls for Gianmatteo's assistance, because of his reputation. He tries to avoid the call but he is forced to go. Risking his own life, he figures out a way to exorcise the demon and in the end, Belfagor flees to hell for safety, rather than live another day under his wife's rule.
A beautiful and funny novella/tale by the great political writer Machiavelli! The theme sounds to repeat an old idea (stereotype), which depicts women, particularly, wives as the cause of men's suffering and going to hell. Even the Archdevil Belfagor, disguised as a human being in order to investigate the truth regarding the cause of men's entry to hell, suffered a lot from his beautiful wife, who run him to debts. He ended accepting hell and punishment rather than marriage. One key point Machiavelli seems to address in this novellas is the importance of wittiness, as embodied in Gianmatteo's final action to save himself from the king's wrath, by playing a trick against Belfagor.