Famed for having killed his cousin Alessandro, the Duke of Florence, in 1537, Lorenzino de' Medici remains one of the most enigmatic figures of Italian literature. In his masterpiece, Apology for a Murder, he reveals the inner motives behind his act.
Offering an invitation to reject the work ethic and enjoy life's simple pleasures (such as laughing, drinking and lying in the open air), this essay on the joys of idleness contains writings on, among other things, growing old, visiting unpleasant places and the overwhelming experience of falling in love.