Autograph letter by N.Machiavelli dated April 16 1527. The blotted phrase reads “i love my native city more than…”. The missing word is usually interpreted as “more than my own soul”. His grandson, who archived the letter, likely deemed the statement too shocking for a christian audience[739×277]

[source](https://archive.org/details/palatino-e.-b.-15.10-striscia-1414/page/n323/mode/2up?view=theater). You can find the entire letter, translated in [“Machiavelli and his friends, their personal correspondence”](https://books.google.gr/books/about/Machiavelli_and_His_Friends.html?id=8hCeQgAACAAJ&redir_esc=y). According to the author, some scholars debate that instead of “more than my soul”, the statement was “i love my city more than Christ”, but nevertheless the context would be the same and any option would make sense as to why Giuliano Ricci(the grandson), decided to blot it out, especially since the very reason why he began the work to go through and transcrible his grandpa’s archive was to try and restore his memory as a good Christian, since in 1559 Machiavelli’s entire body of work was included in the first edition of the Papal index of prohibited works, which obviously offended Machiavelli’s descendants.

The entire letter in english

>*Magnificent, etc.: Monseigneur de La Motte has been today in the camp of the imperials with the final form of the agreement made there, and if Bourbon accepts, he must halt his army. If he moves, it is a sign that he does not wish any agreement; so tomorrow will be the judge of our affairs. Therefore it is decided here, if tomorrow he moves, to think on war completely, without having a hair that thinks further of peace; if he does not move, to think of peace, and to lay aside all thought of war. With this north wind we too have to sail and, deciding on war, to cut off all the affairs of peace, and in such a way that the allies will come on without any hesitation, because now we cannot hobble any more but must go like mad; and often desperation finds remedies that choice cannot find. They are coming without artillery, into a difficult region. Hence if we, with what little life remains to us, unite with the forces of the League that are ready, either they will leave this province with shame or they will come down to reasonable terms. I love Messer Francesco Guicciardini; I love my native city more than my own soul; and I tell you this through that experience given me by sixty years, namely, that I do not believe that ever more difficult articles than these were struggled with, where peace is necessary and war cannot be abandoned; and to have on our hands a prince who scarcely is able to deal with peace alone or with war alone. I send you my regards.
Niccolo Machiavelli, in Forli*