# Girolamo Savonarola — Discourses on Livy character guide

> Girolamo Savonarola in Discourses on Livy by Niccolò Machiavelli.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** the Friar Girolamo Savonarola

**First appearance:** 0004-i

## Snapshot

The Florentine friar whose reforming sermons and prophetic authority collapsed for want of the power to destroy his enemies, as Machiavelli observes.

## Who they are

Savonarola preached against the corrupt wise of this world and tried to remake Florence in the image of his visions, but as a friar he lacked the authority to strike down the rivals his reforms provoked. Machiavelli pairs him with Piero Soderini as a case study in how good intentions fail when unarmed by decisive force. His downfall illustrates the Discourses' hard lesson that reformers who cannot or will not use severity are undone by the envy they leave alive.

## In the story

### [Of the religion of the Romans](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_on_livy_se/chapters/xi)

Persuaded the Florentines that he spoke with God, demonstrating that even civilized people can be swayed by religious authority.

### [Chapter XLV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_on_livy_se/chapters/xlv)

After passing a law of appeal in Florence, he allowed it to be violated shortly thereafter, damaging his reputation and credibility.

### [LVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_on_livy_se/chapters/lvi)

Foretold the invasion of Italy by Charles VIII of France.

### [On Envy, Authority, and the Defense of a City](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_on_livy_se/chapters/xxx)

Failed to extinguish envy because as a friar he lacked the authority to put rivals to death, though his sermons attacked 'the wise of this world.'

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_on_livy_se/characters/girolamo_savonarola
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_on_livy_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_on_livy_se/characters