Freed from the Fear of Hell: Machiavelli's Restyling of Afterlife and His Theory of Emancipation

Abstract In several texts, Machiavelli alludes to an unorthodox idea of the underworld. Hell is presented as an exclusive environment where only the greatest souls are welcome to discuss the matter of state for all eternity. In his novella Belfagor, Machiavelli even describes the reign of Minos as a virtuous republic populated with fellow devils that are more naive than the diabolical Florentines. In this article, I propose that Machiavelli's unprecedented desecration of Hell aims to liberate his fellow citizens from the yoke of modern Christian morality. This is his attempt at dignifying people whose fear of transgressing the laws of men and God numbs their conscience and ultimately paralyzes civic activism. Therefore, it is also a way to emancipate the masses, both spiritually and politically. Freed from the fear of the afterlife's punishments, citizens can reawaken the once-lost civic virtue of the ancients.