PrinceandOtherWritings(Barnes&NobleClassicsSeries)

ThePrinceandOtherWritings,byNiccoloMachiavelli,ispartoftheBarnes&NobleClassicsseries,whichoffersqualityeditionsataffordablepricestothestudentandthegeneralreader,includingnewscholarship,thoughtfuldesign,andpagesofcarefullycraftedextras.HerearesomeoftheremarkablefeaturesofBarnes&NobleClassics:Newintroductionscommissionedfromtoday'stopwritersandscholarsBiographiesoftheauthorsChronologiesofcontemporaryhistorical,biographical,andculturaleventsFootnotesandendnotesSelectivediscussionsofimitations,parodies,poems,books,plays,paintings,operas,statuary,andfilmsinspiredbytheworkCommentsbyotherfamousauthorsStudyquestionstochallengethereader'sviewpointsandexpectationsBibliographiesforfurtherreadingIndices&Glossaries,whenappropriateAlleditionsarebeautifullydesignedandareprintedtosuperiorspecifications;someincludeillustrationsofhistoricalinterest.Barnes&NobleClassicspullstogetheraconstellationofinfluences—biographical,historical,andliterary—toenricheachreader'sunderstandingoftheseenduringworks.Oneofhistory’sgreatestpoliticalphilosophers,NiccolòMachiavelliisnotoriousforhistreatiseThePrince,whichhasbecomeacornerstoneofmodernpoliticaltheory.Writtenin1513andpublishedin1532,afterMachivelli’sdeath,ThePrinceimmediatelyprovokedcontroversythathascontinuedunabatedtothisday.Defininghumannatureasinherentlyselfish,Machiavelliproposesthatsocialconflictandviolencearenaturalphenomenathathelpdeterminetheablest,mostversatileformofgovernment.Assertingthatidealismhasnoplaceinthepoliticalarena,ThePrinceprimarilyaddressesamonarch’sdifficultiesinretainingauthority.Consideredthefirstexpressionofpoliticalrealism,ithasoftenbeenaccusedofadvocatingapoliticalphilosophyinwhich“theendjustifiesthemeans.”IndeedtheemphasisinThePrinceonpracticalsuccess,attheexpenseevenoftraditionalmoralvalues,earnedMachiavelliareputationforruthlessness,deception,andcruelty.Manyscholarscontend,however,thattheauthor’spragmaticviewsofethicsandpoliticsreflectedtherealitiesofhistime,asexemplifiedbytheMedicifamilyofFlorence.DebatesaboutMachiavelli’stheoriesareaslivelytodayastheywere450yearsago,butnoonequestionstheimportanceofhisfundamentalcontributiontoWesternpoliticalthought.ThisnewlytranslatededitionalsoincludesMachiavelli’sLettertoFrancescoVettori,TheLifeofCastruccioCastracani,andexcerptsfromtheDiscoursesonLivy.WayneA.Rebhorn,CelaneseCentennialProfessorofEnglishattheUniversityofTexas,hasauthorednumerousstudiesofRenaissanceEuropeanliterature.HisFoxesandLions:Machiavelli’sConfidenceMenwontheHowardR.MarraroPrizeoftheModernLanguageAssociationofAmericain1990.