The Prince

'A gripping work, and a gripping translation' Nicholas Lezard, Guardian Niccolò Machiavelli's brutally uncompromising manual of statecraft, The Prince is translated and edited with an introduction by Tim Parks in Penguin Classics As a diplomat in turbulent fifteenth-century Florence, Niccolò Machiavelli knew how quickly political fortunes could rise and fall. The Prince, his tough-minded, pragmatic handbook on how power really works, made his name notorious and has remained controversial ever since. How can a leader be strong and decisive, yet still inspire loyalty in his followers? When is it necessary to break the rules? Is it better to be feared than loved? Examining regimes and their rulers the world over and throughout history, from Roman Emperors to renaissance Popes, from Hannibal to Cesare di Borgia, Machievalli answers all these questions in a work of realpolitik that still has shrewd political lessons for today. Tim Parks's acclaimed contemporary translation renders Machiavelli's no-nonsense original as alarming and enlightening as when it was first written. His introduction discusses Machiavelli's life and reputation, and explores the historical background to the work. 'Tim Parks's swift and supple new translation brings out all its chilling modernity' Boyd Tonkin, Independent The Prince (Italian: Il Principe [il ˈprintʃipe]; Latin: De Principatibus) is a 16th-century political treatise written by Italian diplomat and political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli as an instruction guide for new princes and royals. The general theme of The Prince is of accepting that the aims of princes – such as glory and survival – can justify the use of immoral means to achieve those ends. From Machiavelli's correspondence, a version appears to have been distributed in 1513, using a Latin title, De Principatibus (Of Principalities). However, the printed version was not published until 1532, five years after Machiavelli's death. This was carried out with the permission of the Medici pope Clement VII, but "long before then, in fact since the first appearance of The Prince in manuscript, controversy had swirled about his writings". Although The Prince was written as if it were a traditional work in the mirrors for princes style, it was generally agreed as being especially innovative. This is partly because it was written in the vernacular Italian rather than Latin, a practice that had become increasingly popular since the publication of Dante's Divine Comedy and other works of Renaissance literature. The Prince Is The Most Controversial Book About Winning Power - And Holding On To It - Ever Written. Machiavelli's Tough-minded, Pragmatic Argument That Sometimes It Is Necessary To Abandon Ethics To Succeed Made His Name Notorious. Yet His Book Has Been Read By Strategists, Politicians And Business People Ever Since As The Ultimate Guide To Realpolitik. How Can A Leader Be Strong And Decisive, Yet Still Inspire Loyalty In His Followers? How Do You Keep Your Enemies In Check? Is It Better To Be Feared Than Loved? When Is It Necessary To Break The Rules? This Shrewd Handbook On How Power Really Works Answers All These Questions By Examining Regimes And Their Rulers Around The World And Throughout History, From Roman Emperors To Renaissance Popes, From The Savagely Cruel Hannibal To The Utterly Devious Cesare Di Borgia. Tim Parks's Gripping Contemporary Translation Delivers Machiavelli's No-nonsense Original Straight, Making It As Alarming And Enlightening As When It Was First Written.