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The Prince

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The Prince

By: Nicolo Machiavelli
Narrated by: Ian Richardson
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About this listen

 How remarkable that an Italian living in the 15th and 16th centuries should lend his name to a word still in common usage in the English language today. Nicolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) wrote only one major work as a gift for his ruling Prince, Lorenzo de Medici. Machiavelli held office as a senior civil servant for 14 years until the downfall of the Republic in 1512. No longer officially employed to impart advice, instead Machiavelli poured out his ideas and resentment in his writings. The Prince as remained a prominent classic ever since; valued for its shrewd psychological insight, powerful words, and prophetic quality. And even today, it has never lost its power to shock and influence. Ian Richardson's formidable reading of this modern unabridged translation is an accessible and entertaining way in to a truly compelling world view.Original translation in 1908 by W.K. Marryatt, updated by Alan Petrides in 1995.Public Domain (P)2005 CSA Telltapes Ltd Political Science Politics & Government Royalty Inspiring

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All stars
Most relevant
This renaissance suppository for the Italian ruling class has long been a staple of the new university social science oeuvre - an unfinished opus that red-brickies swap shamelessly over the Chardonnay. Yes, it's all sounding a bit 80's now isn't it?
But still, we soldier on manfully and laugh along with Ian Richardson's pince-nez, pronunciation even if we can't fill in the referential gaps....'I've just finished re-reading Niccol? Machiavelli (1469-1527), the Italian historian, statesman, and political philosopher, whose amoral, but influential writings on statecraft have turned his name into a synonym for cunning and duplicity....those olives are delicious aren't they, how much did they manage to get for it in the end..? She was hoping for a lot more than that...'

Francis Urquhart's coda

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A short but influential treatise on how to rule as the head of state. Whilst putting aside that Machiavelli believed Republics were the best way of ruling countries and that the most well known ideas "it is better to be feared than loved" are much moderated, stating that it is best to be loved and feared, but as not everyone will love you and all your citizens might fear you the prince should err on the side of fear, even using the Roman emperor Severus as an example of going too far.

Machiavelli leaves out the role of luck, stating it's like a river that floods, you can build defences and maybe survive it. However he leaves out the possibility of success by luck in a lot of the maxims he suggests.

When discussing fortresses he states that they are mostly useful for surviving a rebellion of the people which ignores a large amount of warfare where an enemy fortress can't be left in your rear to harass your supply lines.

His examples can be rather odd from a modern perspective, using Alexander the Great and Roman Emporers as well as minor 15th century Italian nobles as commonly known figures.

At one point when discussing leadership the examples of Moses, Theseus, Cyrus and Romulous are used, only one of whom isn't a mythological/ legendary figure.

The book ends with a call to arms with the time being right to unite Italy, which shows Machiavelli's forecasting to be a few centuries out.

Interesting Theory of Govenance

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Brilliant reading of an interesting book. Performed in a way that you forget you are hearing a cynic arguing for the ends justifying immoral means.

Excellent narrator

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Ian Richardson is phenomenal! There cannot be a better reading of this classic in English. Good translation too. What a delight!

Legendary

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Narrated by Ian Richardson, or Francis Urquhart from BBC House of Cards
Excellent, powerful & posh accent & performance

Excellent Francis Urquhart's Narration

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