The Prince (Webster's Thesaurus Edition)

267 Pages·2006·1.98 MB·English

by  Nicolo Machiavelli

The Prince

Webster’s Thesaurus Edition for PSAT®, SAT®, GRE®, LSAT®,
GMAT®, and AP® English Test Preparation

Nicolo Machiavelli
Translated by W.K. Marriott

PSAT is a registered trademarkof the College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit
Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book; SAT is a registered
trademark of the College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses this book; GRE, AP and
Advanced Placement are registered trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which neither
sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management
Admissions Council which is neither affiliated with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT is a
registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council which neither sponsors nor endorses this
product. All rights reserved.
The Prince

Webster’s Thesaurus Edition for PSAT®, SAT®, GRE®, LSAT®,
GMAT®, and AP® English Test Preparation

Nicolo Machiavelli
Translated by W.K. Marriott
PSAT® is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit
Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book; SAT® is a registered
trademark of the College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses this book; GRE®, AP® and
Advanced Placement® are registered trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which neither
sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT® is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management
Admissions Council which is neither affiliated with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT® is a
registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council which neither sponsors nor endorses
this product. All rights reserved.
ICON CLASSICS

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The Prince: Webster’s Thesaurus Edition for PSAT®, SAT®, GRE®, LSAT®, GMAT®, and AP® English
Test Preparation

This edition published by ICON Classics in 2005
Printed in the United States of America.

Copyright ©2005 by ICON Group International, Inc.
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PSAT® is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the
National Merit Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book;
SAT® is a registered trademark of the College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses
this book; GRE®, AP® and Advanced Placement® are registered trademarks of the
Educational Testing Service which neither sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT® is a
registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admissions Council which is neither
affiliated with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT® is a registered trademark of the Law
School Admissions Council which neither sponsors nor endorses this product. All rights
reserved.

ISBN 0-497-25307-0
iii
Contents

PREFACE FROM THE EDITOR..........................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................3

THE PRINCE...................................................................................................................17
CHAPTER I HOW MANY KINDS OF PRINCIPALITIES THERE ARE, AND BY WHAT

MEANS THEY ARE ACQUIRED.................................................................................19

CHAPTER II CONCERNING HEREDITARY PRINCIPALITIES.....................................21

CHAPTER III CONCERNING MIXED PRINCIPALITIES..............................................23
CHAPTER IV WHY THE KINGDOM OF DARIUS, CONQUERED BY ALEXANDER, DID

NOT REBEL AGAINST THE SUCCESSORS OF ALEXANDER AT HIS DEATH.............31
CHAPTER V CONCERNING THE WAY TO GOVERN CITIES OR PRINCIPALITIES

WHICH LIVED UNDER THEIR OWN LAWS BEFORE THEY WERE ANNEXED............35
CHAPTER VI CONCERNING NEW PRINCIPALITIES WHICH ARE ACQUIRED BY ONE’S

OWN ARMS AND ABILITY........................................................................................37
CHAPTER VII CONCERNING NEW PRINCIPALITIES WHICH ARE ACQUIRED EITHER

BY THE ARMS OF OTHERS OR BY GOOD FORTUNE...............................................41
CHAPTER VIII CONCERNING THOSE WHO HAVE OBTAINED A PRINCIPALITY BY

WICKEDNESS..........................................................................................................49

CHAPTER IX CONCERNING A CIVIL PRINCIPALITY.................................................55
CHAPTER X CONCERNING THE WAY IN WHICH THE STRENGTH OF ALL

PRINCIPALITIES OUGHT TO BE MEASURED...........................................................59

CHAPTER XI CONCERNING ECCLESIASTICAL PRINCIPALITIES..............................63
CHAPTER XII HOW MANY KINDS OF SOLDIERY THERE ARE, AND CONCERNING

MERCENARIES........................................................................................................67

CHAPTER XIII CONCERNING AUXILIARIES, MIXED SOLDIERY, AND ONE’S OWN..73
CHAPTER XIV THAT WHICH CONCERNS A PRINCE ON THE SUBJECT OF THE ART

OF WAR...................................................................................................................77
CHAPTER XV CONCERNING THINGS FOR WHICH MEN, AND ESPECIALLY PRINCES,

ARE PRAISED OR BLAMED.....................................................................................81

CHAPTER XVI CONCERNING LIBERALITY AND MEANNESS...................................83
CHAPTER XVII CONCERNING CRUELTY AND CLEMENCY, AND WHETHER IT IS

BETTER TO BE LOVED THAN FEARED....................................................................87

CHAPTER XVIII CONCERNING THE WAY IN WHICH PRINCES SHOULD KEEP FAITH91

CHAPTER XIX THAT ONE SHOULD AVOID BEING DESPISED AND HATED............95
CHAPTER XX ARE FORTRESSES, AND MANY OTHER THINGS TO WHICH PRINCES

OFTEN RESORT, ADVANTAGEOUS OR HURTFUL?................................................105
iv
CHAPTER XXI HOW A PRINCE SHOULD CONDUCT HIMSELF SO AS TO GAIN

RENOWN...............................................................................................................111

CHAPTER XXII CONCERNING THE SECRETARIES OF PRINCES...........................115

CHAPTER XXIII HOW FLATTERERS SHOULD BE AVOIDED..................................117

CHAPTER XXIV WHY THE PRINCES OF ITALY HAVE LOST THEIR STATES...........121
CHAPTER XXV WHAT FORTUNE CAN EFFECT IN HUMAN AFFAIRS AND HOW TO

WITHSTAND HER..................................................................................................123

CHAPTER XXVI AN EXHORTATION TO LIBERATE ITALY FROM THE BARBARIANS127
DESCRIPTION OF THE METHODS ADOPTED BY THE DUKE VALENTINO WHEN
MURDERING VITELLOZZO VITELLI, OLIVEROTTO DA FERMO, THE SIGNOR PAGOLO,

AND THE DUKE DI GRAVINA ORSINI............................................................................133

THE LIFE OF CASTRUCCIO CASTRACANI OF LUCCA...................................................141

GLOSSARY...................................................................................................................167
Nicolo Machiavelli 1

PREFACE FROM THE EDITOR

Designed for school districts, educators, and students seeking to maximize performance on
standardized tests, Webster’s paperbacks take advantage of the fact that classics are frequently
assigned readings in English courses. By using a running thesaurus at the bottom of each page, this
edition of The Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli was edited for students who are actively building their
vocabularies in anticipation of taking PSAT®, SAT®, AP® (Advanced Placement®), GRE®,
LSAT®, GMAT® or similar examinations.1

Webster’s edition of this classic is organized to expose the reader to a maximum number of
synonyms and antonyms for difficult and often ambiguous English words that are encountered in
other works of literature, conversation, or academic examinations. Extremely rare or idiosyncratic
words and expressions are given lower priority in the notes compared to words which are “difficult,
and often encountered” in examinations. Rather than supply a single synonym, many are provided
for a variety of meanings, allowing readers to better grasp the ambiguity of the English language,
and avoid using the notes as a pure crutch. Having the reader decipher a word’s meaning within
context serves to improve vocabulary retention and understanding. Each page covers words not
already highlighted on previous pages. If a difficult word is not noted on a page, chances are that it
has been highlighted on a previous page. A more complete thesaurus is supplied at the end of the
book; Synonyms and antonyms are extracted from Webster’s Online Dictionary.

Definitions of remaining terms as well as translations can be found at www.websters-online-
dictionary.org. Please send suggestions to [email protected]

The Editor
Webster’s Online Dictionary
www.websters-online-dictionary.org
1 P S A T ® i s a r e g i s t e r e d t r a d e m a r k o f t h e College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit
Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book; SAT® is a registered
trademark of the College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses this book; GRE®, AP® and
Advanced Placement® are registered trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which neither
sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT® is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management
Admissions Council which is neither affiliated with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT® is a
registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council which neither sponsors nor endorses
this product. All rights reserved.

Nicolo Machiavelli 3

INTRODUCTION

Nicolo Machiavelli was born at Florence on 3rd May 1469. He was the second
son of Bernardo di Nicolo Machiavelli, a lawyer of some repute, and of
Bartolommea di Stefano Nelli, his wife. Both parents were members of the old
Florentine nobility.%
His life falls naturally into three periods, each of which singularly enough
constitutes a distinct and important era in the history of Florence. His youth was
concurrent with the greatness of Florence as an Italian power under the
guidance of Lorenzo de’ Medici, Il Magnifico. The downfall of the Medici in
Florence occurred in 1494, in which year Machiavelli entered the public service.
During his official career Florence was free under the government of a Republic,
which lasted until 1512, when the Medici returned to power, and Machiavelli lost
his office. The Medici again ruled Florence from 1512 until 1527, when they were
once more driven out. This was the period of Machiavelli’s literary activity and
increasing influence; but he died, within a few weeks of the expulsion of the
Medici, on 22nd June 1527, in his fifty-eighth year, without having regained
office.

YOUTH: AET. 1-25—1469-94

Thesaurus
concurrent: (adj) coincident, devastation, bane. ANTONYMS: (n) magnitude, fame. ANTONYMS: (n)
concomitant, parallel, coincidental, making, ascension, lift, salvation, obscurity, austerity, commonness,
collateral, at the same time, victory, creation, beginning. mildness, moderation, simplicity.
accordant, uniting, synchronous; (v) expulsion: (n) exile, banishment, repute: (n, v) reputation, report,
confluent, convergent. ANTONYMS: deportation, ejection, dismissal, esteem, respect, honor; (n) name,
(adj) separate, disagreeing, differing, extrusion, eviction, exclusion, character, celebrity, standing; (v)
independent, incompatible, divided, transportation, exception, release. count, regard as.
disparate, different, contradictory, ANTONYMS: (n) inclusion, singularly: (adv) peculiarly, uniquely,
conflicting. welcoming. unusually, curiously, rarely,
downfall: (n) ruin, decline, greatness: (n) excellence, dimension, uncommonly, oddly, solely,
destruction, debacle, defeat, descent, dignity, bulk, size, enormousness, exceptionally, individually; (adj, adv)
decadence, failure, undoing, bigness, enormity, grandness, remarkably.
4 The Prince

Although there is little recorded of the youth of Machiavelli, the Florence of
those days is so well known that the early environment of this representative
citizen may be easily imagined. Florence has been described as a city with two
opposite currents of life, one directed by the fervent and austere Savonarola, the
other by the splendour- loving Lorenzo. Savonarola’s influence upon the young
Machiavelli must have been slight, for although at one time he wielded immense
power over the fortunes of Florence, he only furnished Machiavelli with a subject
of a gibe in “The Prince,” where he is cited as an example of an unarmed prophet
who came to a bad end. Whereas the magnificence of the Medicean rule during
the life of Lorenzo appeared to have impressed Machiavelli strongly, for he
frequently recurs to it in his writings, and it is to Lorenzo’s grandson that he
dedicates “The Prince.”%
Machiavelli, in his “History of Florence,” gives us a picture of the young men
among whom his youth was passed. He writes: “They were freer than their
forefathers in dress and living, and spent more in other kinds of excesses,
consuming their time and money in idleness, gaming, and women; their chief
aim was to appear well dressed and to speak with wit and acuteness, whilst he
who could wound others the most cleverly was thought the wisest.” In a letter to
his son Guido, Machiavelli shows why youth should avail itself of its
opportunities for study, and leads us to infer that his own youth had been so
occupied. He writes: “I have received your letter, which has given me the
greatest pleasure, especially because you tell me you are quite restored in health,
than which I could have no better news; for if God grant life to you, and to me, I
hope to make a good man of you if you are willing to do your share.” Then,
writing of a new patron, he continues: “This will turn out well for you, but it is
necessary for you to study; since, then, you have no longer the excuse of illness,
take pains to study letters and music, for you see what honour is done to me for
the little skill I have. Therefore, my son, if you wish to please me, and to bring
success and honour to yourself, do right and study, because others will help you
if you help yourself.”

Thesaurus
acuteness: (n) acuity, sharpness, flippant, impassive, lukewarm, mild. inactivity, idling, unemployment,
acumen, discrimination, gravity, forefathers: (n) patriarchs, forefather, sloth, inaction, inertia, faineance,
insight, sensitivity, perspicacity, ancestor, colony, lineage, family. idlesse. ANTONYMS: (n) energy,
penetration, keenness, intensity. freer: (adj) unconfined. activity, bustle, liveliness,
ANTONYMS: (n) faintness, gaming: (n) play, game, diversion, responsibility.
insignificance, dullness. speculation, wager, frolic, bet, magnificence: (adj, n) splendor,
fervent: (adj) ardent, eager, earnest, gamble, recreation, vice, betting. brilliancy, gorgeousness; (n) glory,
enthusiastic, intense, cordial, gibe: (n, v) ridicule, scoff, deride, gird, pomp, brilliance, grandness,
passionate, hot, emotional, torrid, barrack, sneer; (v) jeer; (n) quip, greatness, dignity, majesty, loftiness.
strong. ANTONYMS: (adj) apathetic, banter, barb, dig. ANTONYMS: (n, v) ANTONYMS: (n) paucity, modesty,
unenthusiastic, cool, weak, praise, compliment; (v) disagree. shabbiness, poverty, austerity,
unexcited, dispirited, dispassionate, idleness: (n) lethargy, laziness, torpor, unattractiveness.
Nicolo Machiavelli 5

OFFICE: AET. 25-43—1494-1512

The second period of Machiavelli’s life was spent in the service of the free
Republic of Florence, which flourished, as stated above, from the expulsion of the
Medici in 1494 until their return in 1512. After serving four years in one of the
public offices he was appointed Chancellor and Secretary to the Second
Chancery, the Ten of Liberty and Peace. Here we are on firm ground when
dealing with the events of Machiavelli’s life, for during this time he took a
leading part in the affairs of the Republic, and we have its decrees, records, and
dispatches to guide us, as well as his own writings. A mere recapitulation of a
few of his transactions with the statesmen and soldiers of his time gives a fair
indication of his activities, and supplies the sources from which he drew the
experiences and characters which illustrate “The Prince.”
His first mission was in 1499 to Catherina Sforza, “my lady of Forli” of “The
Prince,” from whose conduct and fate he drew the moral that it is far better to
earn the confidence of the people than to rely on fortresses. This is a very
noticeable principle in Machiavelli, and is urged by him in many ways as a
matter of vital importance to princes.%
In 1500 he was sent to France to obtain terms from Louis XII for continuing
the war against Pisa: this king it was who, in his conduct of affairs in Italy,
committed the five capital errors in statecraft summarized in “The Prince,” and
was consequently driven out. He, also, it was who made the dissolution of his
marriage a condition of support to Pope Alexander VI; which leads Machiavelli
to refer those who urge that such promises should be kept to what he has written
concerning the faith of princes.
Machiavelli’s public life was largely occupied with events arising out of the
ambitions of Pope Alexander VI and his son, Cesare Borgia, the Duke Valentino,
and these characters fill a large space of “The Prince.” Machiavelli never hesitates

Thesaurus
arising: (n) emanation. perceptible. ANTONYMS: (adj) wiseness, policy, politics, statism,
dissolution: (n) breakup, obscure, inconspicuous, hidden, queencraft, delicacy, diplomatic
decomposition, cancellation, unobtrusive, unclear, unnoticeable, negotiations, discreetness, finesse.
abolition, analysis, dismissal, unremarkable, uninteresting, inward, summarized: (adj) short, abridged.
dissipation, death, annulment, invisible, indistinguishable. urge: (v) push, press, advocate,
demise, dissociation. ANTONYMS: offices: (n) kitchen, pantry, scullery. persuade, impel, induce; (n, v) spur,
(n) inauguration, parsimony, recapitulation: (n) recap, outline, drive, force; (n) impulse; (adj, v)
decency. summary, resume, epanodos, review, incite. ANTONYMS: (n) dislike, hate,
noticeable: (adj) notable, evident, palingenesis; (v) capitation, dead aversion, disinclination; (v) dissuade,
noteworthy, discernible, apparent, reckoning, muster, poll. ANTONYM: oppose, demand, prevent, restrain.
marked, visible, remarkable, (n) cenogenesis. writings: (n) papers, Hagiographa,
appreciable, considerable; (adj, v) statecraft: (n) statesmanship, wisdom, Ketubim.