The Essential Writings Of Machiavelli

This volume brings together Machiavelli’s work in English for the first time, including essays like “A Caution to the Medici” and “The Persecution of Africa,” alongside complete versions of The Prince, the comic satire The Mandrake, The Life of Castruccio Castracani, and the classic story “Belfagor,” as well as selections from The Discourses, The Art of War, and Florentine Histories. Enhanced with clear annotations and cross-references, it serves as a comprehensive one-volume reference to this influential and versatile writer. As Robert D. Kaplan notes, “Machiavelli's stress on political necessity rather than moral perfection helped inspire the Renaissance by renewing links with Thucydides and other classical thinkers,” and this collection offers deeper insight into his personality, broadening our understanding of him.