ThisisamajornewEnglish-languageeditionofoneofthecentraltextsinthehistoryofpoliticalthought,presentingstudentswiththemostaccurateandaccessibletranslationyetofMachiavelli’sfamoustreatise.　　InhisintroductiontoRussellPrice’stranslation,QuentinSkinnerpresentsalucidanalysisofThePrince,seeingthetextbothasacommentaryupontheimmediateworldofFlorentinepolitics,andasaresponsetothegenreofadvice-booksforprincespublishedbyanumberofMachiavelli’scontemporaries.Emphasisingthespecificmessageofwarningbeneathitssurfacegeneralities,ProfessorSkinnerexaminestheintellectualcontextofThePrince,andhighlightsMachialvelli’srepudiationofRenaissancemoralismanditsclassicalantecedents　　Numerousaidsforthestudentreaderareprovided,includingbriefbiographiesofpersonsmentionedinthetextandnotesonMachiavelli’ssometimesproblematicvocabulary,aswellasachronologyofimportanteventsandaguidetofurtherreading. EditorsnoteIntroductionPrincipaleventsinMachiavelli’slifeBibliographicalnoteTranslator’snoteMap:northernandcentralItaly,1500Dedicatoryletter:NiccoloMachiavellitoHisMagnificenceLorenzodeMediciⅠThedifferentkindsofprincipalityandhowtheyareacquiredⅡHereditaryprincipalitiesⅢMixedprincipalitiesⅣWhytheKingdomofDarius,conqueredbyAlexander’sdeathⅤHowoneshouldgoverncitiesorprincipalitiesthat,beforebeingconquered,usedtoliveundertheirownlawsⅥNewprincipalitiesacquiredbyone’sownarmsandabilityⅦNewprincipalitiesacquiredthroughthepowerofothersandtheirfavourⅧThosewhobecomerulersthroughwickedmeansⅨThecivilprincipalityⅩHOwthestrengthofallprincipalitiesshouldbemeasuredⅪEcclesiasticalprincipalitiesⅫThedifferenttypesofarmy,andmercenarytroopsXIIIauxiliaries,mixedtroopsandnativetroopsXIVHowarulershouldactconcerningmilitarymnattersXVThethingsforwhichmen,andespeciallyrulers,arepraisedorblamedXVIGenerosityandmeannessXVIICrueltyandmercitulness;andwhetheritisbettertobelovedorfearedXVIIIHowrulersshouldkeeptheirpromisesXIXHowcontemptandhatuedshouldbeavoidedXXwhetherbuildi