Philosophy

The Prince

by Niccolò Machiavelli

A short manual on how power actually behaves, written by a man out of favour trying to get back in. It has scandalised readers for five centuries by simply declining to be sentimental. Ask a ruler which parts they have taken to heart.

The librarian

Read it in the Library After Dark Or read it as plain text

Reading time

About 3 hr 20 min

Where to find it

On the Philosophy shelves

Edition

Project Gutenberg, eBook #1232. In the public domain in the United States.