Risk taking in Montaigne and the Renaissance

Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) lived in dangerous times, but he adopted suitable countermeasures. He protected himself and his family by steering away from honours and competition that could have easily turned sour. He assessed the risks, kept his eyes open, and did overall much better than his peers. The Renaissance was a period of open-mindedness coupled to intellectual progress. Montaigne favoured inquiry and wrote against prejudice, but did not fool himself about human nature. He knew how hard it is for people to abandon superstition. Montaigne proved a master at navigating difficult times. He conveyed his criticism indirectly by presenting it as historical or literary commentary. He talked to people in both camps, that is, Catholics and Protestants, which represented the two sides of the political spectrum in the sixteenth century. I call Montaigne’s strategy “calibrated daring.” There was a master in this discipline also in Italy. He was one generation younger than Montaigne. I am referring to Count Baldassare Castiglione (1478-1529), whose best-known achievement is to have written “The Book of the Courtier.” While Montaigne is focusing on self-reliance and happiness as life goals, Castiglione devoted his literary efforts to describe the qualities and conduct expected of a gentleman. His book emphasises diplomacy, eloquence, courage and intelligence. The education received by Castiglione was better than the one received by Montaigne. Castiglione was able to read the Greek classics in their original language. He also had access to libraries much wider than Montaigne’s. While Montaigne spent his professional life working as a lawyer in Bordeaux, Castiglione worked mainly as a diplomat. First, he was employed by the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza (1451-1508), and later by the Marquis of Mantua, Francesco Gonzaga, and the Duke of Urbino, Francesco Maria Rovere. Montaigne wrote his essays in his farmhouse in the south of France, and Castiglione composed “The Book of the Courtier” in his retirement. Both men arrived at the same conclusion: It’s ethically necessary and mandatory for happiness to be daring, but do not commit suicide by trying to do the impossible. I regard Castiglione as more experienced than Montaigne in matters of politics and war. He served in high positions where death was the price to pay for severe mistakes. He saw with his own eyes the rise and demise of many a Duke and Marquis. Both Montaigne and Castiglione defined accomplishment as “effortless grace,” which combines knowledge, empathy and a high level of alertness. I regard the term “effortless grace” as a synonym to “unconscious competence.” It is the result of long experience and extensive reading. At the height of his career, Castiglione became himself the ideal Renaissance gentleman. Pope Clement VII (1478-1534) appointed him Ambassador to Spain with the job of finding an agreement with Emperor Charles V to prevent war. Also in Spain, Castiglione was admired by his balance between daring and diplomacy. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/daring-in-michel-de-montaigne-and-the-renaissance/