The Prince

'One must be a fox in order to recognise traps, and a lion to frighten off wolves'
shocked Europe on publication with its advocacy of ruthless tactics for gaming absolute power and its abandonment of conventional morality. Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) came to be regarded by some as an agent of the Devil and his name taken for the intriguer 'Machevill' of Jacobean tragedy. For his treatise on statecraft Machiavelli drew upon his own experience of office under the turbulent Florentine republic, rejecting traditional values of political theory and recognising the complicated, transient nature of political life. Concerned not with lofty ideals but with a regime that would last, has become the bible of realpolitik, and still retains its power to alarm and to instruct.
In this edition Machiavelli's tough-minded and pragmatic Italian is preserved in George Bull's clear, unambiguous translation, while Anthony Grafton's introduction depicts Machiavelli's world of power struggles and intrigue, and discusses his role as a political teacher of Europe.

Please note this copy has light creases on the spine and light scuffs on the edges of the cover

ISBN: 9780192833976
Size: P aperback, 126 pages.

Publisher: Oxford University Press
Year: 1998