This is a major new English-language edition of one of the central texts in the history of political thought, presenting students with the most accurate and accessible translation yet of Machiavelli’s famous treatise.
In his introduction to Russell Price’s translation, Quentin Skinner presents a lucid analysis of The Prince, seeing the text both as a commentary upon the immediate world of Florentine politics, and as a response to the genre of advice-books for princes published by a number of Machiavelli’s contemporaries. Emphasising the specific message of warning beneath its surface generalities, Professor Skinner examines the intellectual context of The Prince, and highlights Machialvelli’s repudiation of Renaissance moralism and its classical antecedents
Numerous aids for the student reader are provided, including brief biographies of persons mentioned in the text and notes on Machiavelli’s sometimes problematic vocabulary, as well as a chronology of important events and a guide to further reading.

Editors note
Introduction
Principal events in Machiavelli’s life
Bibliographical note
Translator’s note
Map:northern and central Italy,1500
Dedicatory letter:Niccolo Machiavelli to His
Magnificence Lorenzo de Medici
ⅠThe different kinds of principality and how they are acquired
Ⅱ Hereditary principalities
Ⅲ Mixed principalities
Ⅳ Why the Kingdom of Darius,conquered by Alexander’s death
Ⅴ How one should govern cities or principalities that,before being conquered,used to live under their own laws
Ⅵ New principalities acquired by one’s own arms and ability
Ⅶ New principalities acquired through the power of others and their favour
Ⅷ Those who become rulers through wicked means
Ⅸ The civil principality
Ⅹ HOw the strength of all principalities should be measured
Ⅺ Ecclesiastical principalities
Ⅻ The different types of army,and mercenary troops
XIII auxiliaries,mixed troops and native troops
XIV How a ruler should act concerning military mnatters
XV The things for which men,and especially rulers,are praised or blamed
XVI Generosity and meanness
XVII Cruelty and mercitulness;and whether it is better to be lovedor feared
XVIII How rulers should keep their promises
XIX How contempt and hatued should be avoided
XX whether building fortresses,and many other things that rulers frequently do,are useful or not
XXI How a ruler should act in order to gain reputation
XXII the secretaries of rulers
XXIII How flatterers should be shunned
XXV How much power fortune has over human affairs,and how it hsould be resisted
XXVI Exhortation to liberate Italy from the barbarian yoke
Appendix A Letters relevant to The Prince
Appendix B Notes on the vocabulary of The Prince
Biographical notes
Index of subjects
Idex of propernames