The Prince

by Niccolò Machiavelli

Overview

The world’s most influential—and controversial—treatise on politics

Composed in exile and published posthumously, The Prince is Niccolò Machiavelli’s legacy and the foundation of modern political theory. Drawing on his firsthand experiences as a diplomat and military commander in the Florentine Republic, Machiavelli disregards the rhetorical flourishes and sentimentality typically found in sixteenth-century mirrors for princes—guides instructing noblemen in the fine art of ruling—and gets straight to practical matters: how to eliminate rivals, when to use force, whether it is better to be loved or feared.
 
For its cold-blooded candor and unrepentant assertion that immorality can be a political virtue, The Prince was censured and Machiavelli’s name became synonymous with evil. Yet five centuries’ worth of political thinkers and leaders, from Thomas Cromwell to Francis Bacon to Napoleon Bonaparte to John Adams to Joseph Stalin, have turned to this slim volume for guidance and inspiration, because its advice on the acquisition and preservation of power contains the wisdom of experience—and, most importantly of all, because it works.
 
This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781480427983
Publisher:	Open Road Media
Publication date:	07/01/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	144
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527) was an Italian historian, diplomat, and philosopher recognized as the father of modern political theory. An official of the Republic of Florence, he was forced out of office when the Medici family returned to power in 1512. He is best remembered for The Prince, the bold treatise on political strategy published five years after his death. 

Read an Excerpt

The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli

Seventeenth Chapter: Concerning Cruelty and Clemency, and Whether It Is Better to Be Loved Than Feared

...Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, it is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with. Because this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed, they are yours entirely; they will offer you their blood, property, life, and children, as is said above, when the need is far distant; but when it approaches they turn against you. And that prince, who, relying entirely on their promises, has neglected other precautions, is ruined; because friendships that are obtained by payments, and not by greatness or by nobility of mind, may indeed be earned, but they are not secured, and in time of need cannot be relied upon; and men have less scruple in offending one who is beloved than one who is feared, for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails....

Twenty-First Chapter: How a Prince Should Conduct Himself So as to Gain Renown

...A prince is also respected when he is either a true friend or a downright enemy, that is to say, when, without any reservation, he declares himself in favour of one party against the other; which course will always be more advantageous than standing neutral; because if two of your powerful neighbours come to blows, they are of such a character that, if one of them conquers, you have either to fear him or not. In either case it will always be more advantageous for you to declare yourself and to make war strenously; because, in the first case, if you do not declare yourself, you will invariably fall a prey to the conqueror, to the pleasure and satisfaction of his who has been conquered, and you will have no reasons to offer, nor anything to protect or to shelter you. Because he who conquers does not want doubtful friends who will not aid him in the time of trial; and he who loses will not harbour you because you did not willingly, sword in hand, court his fate....

Translation by: W.K. Marriott

Table of Contents

Map

Introduction

Translator's Note

Selected Books

Machiavelli's Principal Works

Letter to the Magnificent Lorenzo de Medici ..... 1

I: How many kinds of principality there are and the ways in which they are acquired ..... 5

II: Hereditary principalities ..... 5

III: Composite principalities ..... 6

IV :Why the kingdom of Darius conquered by Alexander did not rebel against his successors after his death ..... 13

V: How cities or principalities which lived under their own laws should be administered after being conquered ..... 16

VI: New principalities acquired by one's own arms and prowess ..... 17

VII: New principalities acquired with the help of fortune and foreign arms ..... 20

VIII: Those who come to power by crime ..... 27

IX: The constitutional principality ..... 31

X: How the strength of every principality should be measured ..... 34

XI: Ecclesiastical principalities ..... 36

XII: Military organization and mercenary troops ..... 39

XIII: Auxiliary, composite, and native troops ..... 43

XIV: How a prince should organize his militia ..... 47

XV: The things for which men, and especially princes, are praised or blamed ..... 49

XVI: Generosity and parsimony ..... 51

XVII: Cruelty and compassion; and whether it is better to be loved than feared, or the reverse ..... 53

XVIII: How princes should honour their word ..... 56

XIX: The need to avoid contempt and hatred ..... 58

XX: Whether fortresses and many of the other present-day expedients to which princes have recourse are useful or not ..... 67

XXI: How a prince must act to win honour ..... 71

XXII: A prince's personal staff ..... 75

XXIII: How flatterers must be shunned ..... 76

XXIV: Why the Italian princes have lost their states ..... 78

XXV: How far human affairs are governed by fortune, and how fortune can be opposed ..... 79

XXVI: Exhortation to liberate Italy from the barbarians ..... 82

Glossary of Proper Names ..... 86

Notes ..... 99

What People are Saying About This

John M. Najemy

I still consider Atkinson's translation of The Prince the best of the many . . . out there, especially with its extensive and extraordinarily valuable commentary. (John M. Najemy, Professor of History, Cornell University, 2007)

Mario Domandi

This edition of the The Prince has three distinct and disparate objectives: to provide a fresh and accurate translation; to analyze and find the roots of Machiavelli's thought; and to collect relevant extracts from other works by Machiavelli and some contemporaries, to be used to illuminate and explicate the text. The objectives are all reached with considerable and admirable skill. The reader senses Professor Atkinson's empathy and feeling for even the tiniest movements in Machiavelli's mind. Professor Atkinson has done a great service to students and teachers of Machiavelli, who should certainly welcome this as the most useful edition of The Prince in English. (Mario Domandi, Italica, 1978)

Editorial Reviews

Manuela Scarci’s excellent translation of Machiavelli’s most (in)famous work is accessible while at the same time respectful of his stylistic dignity. Welcome are this edition’s copious explanatory notes and helpful cross-references. Pleasing too are the accompanying extensive selections from the Discourses, along with ample portions of the Florentine Histories, The Art of War, and various literary works—all thoughtfully curated to substantiate the editor’s injunction against reliance solely on The Prince for an understanding of its author. And Jason Blahuta provides a provocative and learned introduction. He deftly places The Prince in the context of Machiavelli’s Renaissance, of his city, of his other works, and of his persistent themes. A great resource for a curious intellect, as well as for a university course in political thought.” — Timothy J. Lukes, Santa Clara University

“Scarci’s translation is clear and elegant, and it provokes the experienced reader with several subtle and intriguing choices. Blahuta includes relevant selections from eight of Machiavelli’s other works, as well as three letters, such that key themes of The Prince emerge more visibly within the context of Machiavelli’s overall project (and in sometimes surprising ways). This edition will be a useful resource for beginners and specialists alike.” — Kevin S. Honeycutt, Mercer University

From the Publisher

A publishing bull's-eye.

The Scotsman

Richardson is speaking one-to-one. He is personal, intimate, confidential. That is at it should be.

The Guardian

This is the book that made the author's name into a dark symbol of unalloyed power and sinister political motives. That reputation, though, is somewhat undeserved, and this new recording brings fresh insights and interpretations to the work. Narrator Ian Richardson does a magnificent job with this classic text. He reads with such focus and mellifluous beauty that we must remind ourselves that the book is over 500 years old, and not a contemporary political tract. Richardson's diction and pacing are legendary from his long career on stage and in films, and he applies these talents effortlessly, emphasizing key phrases, speaking conversationally, and making it appear as if he’s reading to only one person at a time. If you've never read THE PRINCE, here is a wonderful opportunity to do so. R.I.G. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

DECEMBER 2008 - AudioFile