“niccolo machiavelli”

That Machiavelli's name has become synonymous with cold-eyed political calculation only heightens the intrinsic fascination of The Prince - the world's pre-eminent how-to manual on the art of getting and keeping power, and one of the literary landmarks of the Italian Renaissance. Written in a vigoro... More

The complete text of Machiavelli's best-known work, along with excerpts from some of his other writings and letters, and critical essays by J. R. Hale, Felix Gilbert, Leo Strauss, and others... More

Theodoric possessed great talents both for war and peace; in the former he was always conqueror, and in the latter he conferred very great benefits upon the cities and people under him. He distributed the Ostrogoths over the country, each district under its leader, that he might more conveniently co... More

Voltaire said, "Machiavelli taught Europe the art of war; it had long been practiced, without being known." For Machiavelli, victory was the supreme aim to which all other considerations must be subordinated. The Art of War is far from an anachronism--its pages outline fundamental questions that the... More

Because the average prince is likely to be focused upon his own interests, a prince's private interests are generally in opposition to those of his subjects. Fortunate is the kingdom ruled by a virtuous prince (virtue here defined as being able to pursue his own interests without conflict). In Machi... More