The Prince

Nicolo Machiavelli, born at Florence on 3rd May 1469. From 1494 to 1512 held an official post at...

Nicolo Machiavelli was born at Florence on 3rd May 1469. He was the second son of Bernardo di...

His life falls naturally into three periods, each of which singularly enough constitutes a distinct...

Although there is little recorded of the youth of Machiavelli, the Florence of those days is so...

Machiavelli, in his History of Florence, gives us a picture of the young men among whom his youth...

The second period of Machiavellis life was spent in the service of the free Republic of Florence,...

His first mission was in 1499 to Catherina Sforza, my lady of Forli of The Prince, from whose...

In 1500 he was sent to France to obtain terms from Louis XII for continuing the war against Pisa....

Machiavellis public life was largely occupied with events arising out of the ambitions of Pope...

On the death of Pius III, in 1503, Machiavelli was sent to Rome to watch the election of his...

It was to Julius II that Machiavelli was sent in 1506, when that pontiff was commencing his...

It is impossible to follow here the varying fortunes of the Italian states, which in 1507 were...

The remaining years of Machiavellis official career were filled with events arising out of the...

On the return of the Medici, Machiavelli, who for a few weeks had vainly hoped to retain his office...

I have noted down what I have gained from their conversation, and have composed a small work on...

The little book suffered many vicissitudes before attaining the form in which it has reached us....

Machiavelli concludes his letter to Vettori thus. And as to this little thing his book, when it has...

Before Machiavelli had got The Prince off his hands he commenced his Discourse on the First Decade...

In 1520 the Florentine merchants again had recourse to Machiavelli to settle their difficulties...

When the History of Florence was finished, Machiavelli took it to Rome for presentation to his...

Machiavelli was absent from Florence at this time, but hastened his return, hoping to secure his...

No one can say where the bones of Machiavelli rest, but modern Florence has decreed him a stately...

Machiavelli was undoubtedly a man of great observation, acuteness, and industry; noting with...

Although the light of almost four centuries has been focused on The Prince, its problems are still...

Leaving out of consideration those maxims of state which still furnish some European and eastern...

It is the cry of a far later day than Machiavellis that government should be elevated into a living...

In translating The Prince my aim has been to achieve at all costs an exact literal rendering of the...

Principal works. Discorso sopra le cose di Pisa, 1499; Del modo di trattare i popoli della...

Minor works. Ed. F. L. Polidori, 1852; Lettere familiari, ed. E. Alvisi, 1883, 2 editions, one with...

Those who strive to obtain the good graces of a prince are accustomed to come before him with such...

Desiring therefore to present myself to your Magnificence with some testimony of my devotion...

And although I may consider this work unworthy of your countenance, nevertheless I trust much to...

Nor do I hold with those who regard it as a presumption if a man of low and humble condition dare...

Take then, your Magnificence, this little gift in the spirit in which I send it; wherein, if it be...

The new are either entirely new, as was Milan to Francesco Sforza, or they are, as it were, members...

I will leave out all discussion on republics, inasmuch as in another place I have written of them...

I say at once there are fewer difficulties in holding hereditary states, and those long accustomed...

We have in Italy, for example, the Duke of Ferrara, who could not have withstood the attacks of the...

But the difficulties occur in a new principality. And firstly, if it be not entirely new, but is,...

In this way you have enemies in all those whom you have injured in seizing that principality, and...

For these reasons Louis the Twelfth, King of France, quickly occupied Milan, and as quickly lost...

Nevertheless Milan was taken from France both the first and the second time. The general reasons...

Now I say that those dominions which, when acquired, are added to an ancient state by him who...

But when states are acquired in a country differing in language, customs, or laws, there are...

The other and better course is to send colonies to one or two places, which may be as keys to that...

But in maintaining armed men there in place of colonies one spends much more, having to consume on...

Again, the prince who holds a country differing in the above respects ought to make himself the...

The Romans, in the countries which they annexed, observed closely these measures; they sent...

But let us turn to France and inquire whether she has done any of the things mentioned. I will...

King Louis was brought into Italy by the ambition of the Venetians, who desired to obtain half the...

Let any one now consider with what little difficulty the king could have maintained his position in...

And as if it were not enough to have aggrandized the Church, and deprived himself of friends, he,...

The wish to acquire is in truth very natural and common, and men always do so when they can, and...

Therefore Louis made these five errors. he destroyed the minor powers, he increased the strength of...

And if any one should say. King Louis yielded the Romagna to Alexander and the kingdom to Spain to...

Thus King Louis lost Lombardy by not having followed any of the conditions observed by those who...

Considering the difficulties which men have had to hold to a newly acquired state, some might...

I answer that the principalities of which one has record are found to be governed in two different...

The examples of these two governments in our time are the Turk and the King of France. The entire...

The contrary happens in kingdoms governed like that of France, because one can easily enter there...

Now if you will consider what was the nature of the government of Darius, you will find it similar...

But it is impossible to hold with such tranquillity states constituted like that of France. Hence...

When these things are remembered no one will marvel at the ease with which Alexander held the...

Whenever those states which have been acquired as stated have been accustomed to live under their...

There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes,...

But when cities or countries are accustomed to live under a prince, and his family is exterminated,...

Let no one be surprised if, in speaking of entirely new principalities as I shall do, I adduce the...

I say, therefore, that in entirely new principalities, where there is a new prince, more or less...

But to come to those who, by their own ability and not through fortune, have risen to be princes, I...

It was necessary, therefore, to Moses that he should find the people of Israel in Egypt enslaved...

Those who by valorous ways become princes, like these men, acquire a principality with difficulty,...

It is necessary, therefore, if we desire to discuss this matter thoroughly, to inquire whether...

If Moses, Cyrus, Theseus, and Romulus had been unarmed they could not have enforced their...

To these great examples I wish to add a lesser one; still it bears some resemblance to them, and I...

Those who solely by good fortune become princes from being private citizens have little trouble in...

States that rise unexpectedly, then, like all other things in nature which are born and grow...

Concerning these two methods of rising to be a prince by ability or fortune, I wish to adduce two...

2 Francesco Sforza, born 1401, died 1466. He married Bianca Maria Visconti, a natural daughter of...

Because, as is stated above, he who has not first laid his foundations may be able with great...

Alexander the Sixth, in wishing to aggrandize the duke, his son, had many immediate and prospective...

For the first thing he weakened the Orsini and Colonnesi parties in Rome, by gaining to himself all...

When the duke occupied the Romagna he found it under the rule of weak masters, who rather plundered...

But let us return whence we started. I say that the duke, finding himself now sufficiently powerful...

Such was his line of action as to present affairs. But as to the future he had to fear, in the...

But Alexander died five years after he had first drawn the sword. He left the duke with the state...

When all the actions of the duke are recalled, I do not know how to blame him, but rather it...

Only can he be blamed for the election of Julius the Second, in whom he made a bad choice, because,...

Although a prince may rise from a private station in two ways, neither of which can be entirely...

Agathocles, the Sicilian,1 became King of Syracuse not only from a private but from a low and...

Therefore, he who considers the actions and the genius of this man will see nothing, or little,...

In our times, during the rule of Alexander the Sixth, Oliverotto da Fermo, having been left an...

Giovanni, therefore, did not fail in any attentions due to his nephew, and he caused him to be...

Some may wonder how it can happen that Agathocles, and his like, after infinite treacheries and...

Hence it is to be remarked that, in seizing a state, the usurper ought to examine closely into all...

And above all things, a prince ought to live amongst his people in such a way that no unexpected...

But coming to the other point where a leading citizen becomes the prince of his country, not by...

A principality is created either by the people or by the nobles, accordingly as one or other of...

Besides this, one cannot by fair dealing, and without injury to others, satisfy the nobles, but you...

Therefore, to make this point clearer, I say that the nobles ought to be looked at mainly in two...

Therefore, one who becomes a prince through the favour of the people ought to keep them friendly,...

Nabis,1 Prince of the Spartans, sustained the attack of all Greece, and of a victorious Roman army,...

These principalities are liable to danger when they are passing from the civil to the absolute...

It is necessary to consider another point in examining the character of these principalities. that...

The cities of Germany are absolutely free, they own but little country around them, and they yield...

Therefore, a prince who has a strong city, and had not made himself odious, will not be attacked,...

Further, the enemy would naturally on his arrival at once burn and ruin the country at the time...

It only remains now to speak of ecclesiastical principalities, touching which all difficulties are...

Nevertheless, if any one should ask of me how comes it that the Church has attained such greatness...

Before Charles, King of France, passed into Italy,1 this country was under the dominion of the...

Alexander the Sixth arose afterwards, who of all the pontiffs that have ever been showed how a pope...

Pope Julius came afterwards and found the Church strong, possessing all the Romagna, the barons of...

Having discoursed particularly on the characteristics of such principalities as in the beginning I...

We have seen above how necessary it is for a prince to have his foundations well laid, otherwise it...

I say, therefore, that the arms with which a prince defends his state are either his own, or they...

1 With chalk in hand, col gesso. This is one of the bons mots of Alexander VI, and refers to the...

I wish to demonstrate further the infelicity of these arms. The mercenary captains are either...

And if it be urged that whoever is armed will act in the same way, whether mercenary or not, I...

Of ancient mercenaries, for example, there are the Carthaginians, who were oppressed by their...

Duke Filippo being dead, the Milanese enlisted Francesco Sforza against the Venetians, and he,...

4 Giovanni Acuto. An English knight whose name was Sir John Hawkwood. He fought in the English wars...

And as with these examples I have reached Italy, which has been ruled for many years by...

The first who gave renown to this soldiery was Alberigo da Conio,8 the Romagnian. From the school...

Auxiliaries, which are the other useless arm, are employed when a prince is called in with his...

And although ancient histories may be full of examples, I do not wish to leave this recent one of...

Therefore, let him who has no desire to conquer make use of these arms, for they are much more...

I shall never hesitate to cite Cesare Borgia and his actions. This duke entered the Romagna with...

I was not intending to go beyond Italian and recent examples, but I am unwilling to leave out...

I wish also to recall to memory an instance from the Old Testament applicable to this subject....

Charles the Seventh,3 the father of King Louis the Eleventh,4 having by good fortune and valour...

But the scanty wisdom of man, on entering into an affair which looks well at first, cannot discern...

5 Many speakers to the House the other night in the debate on the reduction of armaments seemed to...

I conclude, therefore, that no principality is secure without having its own forces; on the...

A prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war...

As regards action, he ought above all things to keep his men well organized and drilled, to follow...

Philopoemen,1 Prince of the Achaeans, among other praises which writers have bestowed on him, is...

But to exercise the intellect the prince should read histories, and study there the actions of...

It remains now to see what ought to be the rules of conduct for a prince towards subject and...

Hence it is necessary for a prince wishing to hold his own to know how to do wrong, and to make use...

Commencing then with the first of the above named characteristics, I say that it would be well to...

Therefore, a prince, not being able to exercise this virtue of liberality in such a way that it is...

We have not seen great things done in our time except by those who have been considered mean; the...

And if any one should say. Caesar obtained empire by liberality, and many others have reached the...

And there is nothing wastes so rapidly as liberality, for even whilst you exercise it you lose the...

Coming now to the other qualities mentioned above, I say that every prince ought to desire to be...

And of all princes, it is impossible for the new prince to avoid the imputation of cruelty, owing...

Nevertheless he ought to be slow to believe and to act, nor should he himself show fear, but...

Upon this a question arises. whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved. It...

Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids...

Among the wonderful deeds of Hannibal this one is enumerated. that having led an enormous army,...

Returning to the question of being feared or loved, I come to the conclusion that, men loving...

Nicolo Machiavelli, born at Florence on 3rd May 1469. From 1494 to 1512 held an official post at...

Nicolo Machiavelli was born at Florence on 3rd May 1469. He was the second son of Bernardo di...

His life falls naturally into three periods, each of which singularly enough constitutes a distinct...

Although there is little recorded of the youth of Machiavelli, the Florence of those days is so...

Machiavelli, in his History of Florence, gives us a picture of the young men among whom his youth...

The second period of Machiavellis life was spent in the service of the free Republic of Florence,...

His first mission was in 1499 to Catherina Sforza, my lady of Forli of The Prince, from whose...

In 1500 he was sent to France to obtain terms from Louis XII for continuing the war against Pisa....

Machiavellis public life was largely occupied with events arising out of the ambitions of Pope...

On the death of Pius III, in 1503, Machiavelli was sent to Rome to watch the election of his...

It was to Julius II that Machiavelli was sent in 1506, when that pontiff was commencing his...

It is impossible to follow here the varying fortunes of the Italian states, which in 1507 were...

The remaining years of Machiavellis official career were filled with events arising out of the...

On the return of the Medici, Machiavelli, who for a few weeks had vainly hoped to retain his office...

I have noted down what I have gained from their conversation, and have composed a small work on...

The little book suffered many vicissitudes before attaining the form in which it has reached us....

Machiavelli concludes his letter to Vettori thus. And as to this little thing his book, when it has...

Before Machiavelli had got The Prince off his hands he commenced his Discourse on the First Decade...

In 1520 the Florentine merchants again had recourse to Machiavelli to settle their difficulties...

When the History of Florence was finished, Machiavelli took it to Rome for presentation to his...

Machiavelli was absent from Florence at this time, but hastened his return, hoping to secure his...

No one can say where the bones of Machiavelli rest, but modern Florence has decreed him a stately...

Machiavelli was undoubtedly a man of great observation, acuteness, and industry; noting with...

Although the light of almost four centuries has been focused on The Prince, its problems are still...

Leaving out of consideration those maxims of state which still furnish some European and eastern...

It is the cry of a far later day than Machiavellis that government should be elevated into a living...

In translating The Prince my aim has been to achieve at all costs an exact literal rendering of the...

Principal works. Discorso sopra le cose di Pisa, 1499; Del modo di trattare i popoli della...

Minor works. Ed. F. L. Polidori, 1852; Lettere familiari, ed. E. Alvisi, 1883, 2 editions, one with...

Those who strive to obtain the good graces of a prince are accustomed to come before him with such...

Desiring therefore to present myself to your Magnificence with some testimony of my devotion...

And although I may consider this work unworthy of your countenance, nevertheless I trust much to...

Nor do I hold with those who regard it as a presumption if a man of low and humble condition dare...

Take then, your Magnificence, this little gift in the spirit in which I send it; wherein, if it be...

The new are either entirely new, as was Milan to Francesco Sforza, or they are, as it were, members...

I will leave out all discussion on republics, inasmuch as in another place I have written of them...

I say at once there are fewer difficulties in holding hereditary states, and those long accustomed...

We have in Italy, for example, the Duke of Ferrara, who could not have withstood the attacks of the...

But the difficulties occur in a new principality. And firstly, if it be not entirely new, but is,...

In this way you have enemies in all those whom you have injured in seizing that principality, and...

For these reasons Louis the Twelfth, King of France, quickly occupied Milan, and as quickly lost...

Nevertheless Milan was taken from France both the first and the second time. The general reasons...

Now I say that those dominions which, when acquired, are added to an ancient state by him who...

But when states are acquired in a country differing in language, customs, or laws, there are...

The other and better course is to send colonies to one or two places, which may be as keys to that...

But in maintaining armed men there in place of colonies one spends much more, having to consume on...

Again, the prince who holds a country differing in the above respects ought to make himself the...

The Romans, in the countries which they annexed, observed closely these measures; they sent...

But let us turn to France and inquire whether she has done any of the things mentioned. I will...

King Louis was brought into Italy by the ambition of the Venetians, who desired to obtain half the...

Let any one now consider with what little difficulty the king could have maintained his position in...

And as if it were not enough to have aggrandized the Church, and deprived himself of friends, he,...

The wish to acquire is in truth very natural and common, and men always do so when they can, and...

Therefore Louis made these five errors. he destroyed the minor powers, he increased the strength of...

And if any one should say. King Louis yielded the Romagna to Alexander and the kingdom to Spain to...

Thus King Louis lost Lombardy by not having followed any of the conditions observed by those who...

Considering the difficulties which men have had to hold to a newly acquired state, some might...

I answer that the principalities of which one has record are found to be governed in two different...

The examples of these two governments in our time are the Turk and the King of France. The entire...

The contrary happens in kingdoms governed like that of France, because one can easily enter there...

Now if you will consider what was the nature of the government of Darius, you will find it similar...

But it is impossible to hold with such tranquillity states constituted like that of France. Hence...

When these things are remembered no one will marvel at the ease with which Alexander held the...

Whenever those states which have been acquired as stated have been accustomed to live under their...

There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes,...

But when cities or countries are accustomed to live under a prince, and his family is exterminated,...

Let no one be surprised if, in speaking of entirely new principalities as I shall do, I adduce the...

I say, therefore, that in entirely new principalities, where there is a new prince, more or less...

But to come to those who, by their own ability and not through fortune, have risen to be princes, I...

It was necessary, therefore, to Moses that he should find the people of Israel in Egypt enslaved...

Those who by valorous ways become princes, like these men, acquire a principality with difficulty,...

It is necessary, therefore, if we desire to discuss this matter thoroughly, to inquire whether...

If Moses, Cyrus, Theseus, and Romulus had been unarmed they could not have enforced their...

To these great examples I wish to add a lesser one; still it bears some resemblance to them, and I...

Those who solely by good fortune become princes from being private citizens have little trouble in...

States that rise unexpectedly, then, like all other things in nature which are born and grow...

Concerning these two methods of rising to be a prince by ability or fortune, I wish to adduce two...

2 Francesco Sforza, born 1401, died 1466. He married Bianca Maria Visconti, a natural daughter of...

Because, as is stated above, he who has not first laid his foundations may be able with great...

Alexander the Sixth, in wishing to aggrandize the duke, his son, had many immediate and prospective...

For the first thing he weakened the Orsini and Colonnesi parties in Rome, by gaining to himself all...

When the duke occupied the Romagna he found it under the rule of weak masters, who rather plundered...

But let us return whence we started. I say that the duke, finding himself now sufficiently powerful...

Such was his line of action as to present affairs. But as to the future he had to fear, in the...

But Alexander died five years after he had first drawn the sword. He left the duke with the state...

When all the actions of the duke are recalled, I do not know how to blame him, but rather it...

Only can he be blamed for the election of Julius the Second, in whom he made a bad choice, because,...

Although a prince may rise from a private station in two ways, neither of which can be entirely...

Agathocles, the Sicilian,1 became King of Syracuse not only from a private but from a low and...

Therefore, he who considers the actions and the genius of this man will see nothing, or little,...

In our times, during the rule of Alexander the Sixth, Oliverotto da Fermo, having been left an...

Giovanni, therefore, did not fail in any attentions due to his nephew, and he caused him to be...

Some may wonder how it can happen that Agathocles, and his like, after infinite treacheries and...

Hence it is to be remarked that, in seizing a state, the usurper ought to examine closely into all...

And above all things, a prince ought to live amongst his people in such a way that no unexpected...

But coming to the other point where a leading citizen becomes the prince of his country, not by...

A principality is created either by the people or by the nobles, accordingly as one or other of...

Besides this, one cannot by fair dealing, and without injury to others, satisfy the nobles, but you...

Therefore, to make this point clearer, I say that the nobles ought to be looked at mainly in two...

Therefore, one who becomes a prince through the favour of the people ought to keep them friendly,...

Nabis,1 Prince of the Spartans, sustained the attack of all Greece, and of a victorious Roman army,...

These principalities are liable to danger when they are passing from the civil to the absolute...

It is necessary to consider another point in examining the character of these principalities. that...

The cities of Germany are absolutely free, they own but little country around them, and they yield...

Therefore, a prince who has a strong city, and had not made himself odious, will not be attacked,...

Further, the enemy would naturally on his arrival at once burn and ruin the country at the time...

It only remains now to speak of ecclesiastical principalities, touching which all difficulties are...

Nevertheless, if any one should ask of me how comes it that the Church has attained such greatness...

Before Charles, King of France, passed into Italy,1 this country was under the dominion of the...

Alexander the Sixth arose afterwards, who of all the pontiffs that have ever been showed how a pope...

Pope Julius came afterwards and found the Church strong, possessing all the Romagna, the barons of...

Having discoursed particularly on the characteristics of such principalities as in the beginning I...

We have seen above how necessary it is for a prince to have his foundations well laid, otherwise it...

I say, therefore, that the arms with which a prince defends his state are either his own, or they...

1 With chalk in hand, col gesso. This is one of the bons mots of Alexander VI, and refers to the...

I wish to demonstrate further the infelicity of these arms. The mercenary captains are either...

And if it be urged that whoever is armed will act in the same way, whether mercenary or not, I...

Of ancient mercenaries, for example, there are the Carthaginians, who were oppressed by their...

Duke Filippo being dead, the Milanese enlisted Francesco Sforza against the Venetians, and he,...

4 Giovanni Acuto. An English knight whose name was Sir John Hawkwood. He fought in the English wars...

And as with these examples I have reached Italy, which has been ruled for many years by...

The first who gave renown to this soldiery was Alberigo da Conio,8 the Romagnian. From the school...

Auxiliaries, which are the other useless arm, are employed when a prince is called in with his...

And although ancient histories may be full of examples, I do not wish to leave this recent one of...

Therefore, let him who has no desire to conquer make use of these arms, for they are much more...

I shall never hesitate to cite Cesare Borgia and his actions. This duke entered the Romagna with...

I was not intending to go beyond Italian and recent examples, but I am unwilling to leave out...

I wish also to recall to memory an instance from the Old Testament applicable to this subject....

Charles the Seventh,3 the father of King Louis the Eleventh,4 having by good fortune and valour...

But the scanty wisdom of man, on entering into an affair which looks well at first, cannot discern...

5 Many speakers to the House the other night in the debate on the reduction of armaments seemed to...

I conclude, therefore, that no principality is secure without having its own forces; on the...

A prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war...

As regards action, he ought above all things to keep his men well organized and drilled, to follow...

Philopoemen,1 Prince of the Achaeans, among other praises which writers have bestowed on him, is...

But to exercise the intellect the prince should read histories, and study there the actions of...

It remains now to see what ought to be the rules of conduct for a prince towards subject and...

Hence it is necessary for a prince wishing to hold his own to know how to do wrong, and to make use...

Commencing then with the first of the above named characteristics, I say that it would be well to...

Therefore, a prince, not being able to exercise this virtue of liberality in such a way that it is...

We have not seen great things done in our time except by those who have been considered mean; the...

And if any one should say. Caesar obtained empire by liberality, and many others have reached the...

And there is nothing wastes so rapidly as liberality, for even whilst you exercise it you lose the...

Coming now to the other qualities mentioned above, I say that every prince ought to desire to be...

And of all princes, it is impossible for the new prince to avoid the imputation of cruelty, owing...

Nevertheless he ought to be slow to believe and to act, nor should he himself show fear, but...

Upon this a question arises. whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved. It...

Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids...

Among the wonderful deeds of Hannibal this one is enumerated. that having led an enormous army,...

Returning to the question of being feared or loved, I come to the conclusion that, men loving...