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The Prince
Niccolo Machiavelli (1469 - 1527) translated by William K. Marriott
Written in 1513 but not published until 1532,
The Prince generated controversy even before it was published.
Unlike the many previous "how-to" manuals for new rulers, The Prince only judged actions by their effectiveness and did not consider morals or ethics. Some of the suggestions were so brutal
and amoral that many critics in the 18th century considered The Prince to be a satire, as they could not believe that any philosopher would seriously promote such actions. But perhaps the real reason for the discomfort of Machiavelli's critics is that he accurately observes and reports the actions of the most effective rulers of Renaissance Italy.
Despite questions about Machiavelli's intention, there was no question about the effectiveness of his methods. Copies of The Prince were studied by Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII of England, the founding fathers of the American revolution, the leaders of the Parliamentarians who destroyed the Monarchy in the English Civil War, the leaders of the Glorious Revolution who restored the Monarchy 20 years later, Napoleon Bonaparte, Joseph Stalin and Benito Mussolini and others. In the late 20th Century it was even considered the "Mafia Bible" by mobster John Gotti.
Running time: 03:16:36 Read by Clive Catterall
cover design: Kathryn Delaney cover art: Andrea Solario, Charles d'Amboise, 1507
PUBLIC DOMAIN