It is noteworthy that the representative of the Christian standpoint accepts tacitly the assumption that happiness is the supreme good, only he places that happiness in the next life.
Valla's ideas obtained throughout a large circle in the half-century following his death.

Masuccio indulged in the most obscene mockery of Catholic rites.

Poggio wrote a book against hypocrites, attacking the monks, and a joke-book largely at the expense of the faithful.
Machiavelli assailed the papacy with great ferocity, attributing to it the corruption of Italian morals and the political disunion and weakness of {51} Italy, and advocating its annihilation.

[Sidenote: Machiavelli, 1469-1530] In place of Christianity, habitually spoken of as an exploded superstition, dangerous to the state, he would put the patriotic cults of antiquity.
It is not strange, knowing the character of the popes, that pagan expressions should color the writings of their courtiers.

Poggio was a papal secretary, and so was Bembo, a cardinal who refused to read Paul's epistles for fear of corrupting his Latinity.