Enter the perilous world of Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince, a text that has captivated and unsettled readers for centuries. A manual for navigating the treacherous corridors of power, The Prince unveils strategies for achieving and maintaining authority—some ingenious, others profoundly disturbing. Far from a moral guide, it compels readers to grapple with its pragmatic and often unsettling approach to leadership and human ambition. So provocative were Machiavelli’s ideas that his name became synonymous with cunning and ruthless political maneuvering, immortalized in the term “Machiavellian.”

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There is nothing Machiavellian in Erica Abbett’s annotations. Drawing on her time living in Italy and years as a teacher, Abbett’s annotations illuminate difficult words, cryptic allusions, and historical references with crystal clarity. Building on her acclaimed editions of The Iliad and Jane Eyre, Abbett equips readers with everything they need to navigate Renaissance politics and engage with the bold ideas that have made The Prince both influential and controversial for centuries.​​​

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Dare to confront the book that has shaped the discourse on power and provoked debate for generations—this time, with the confidence of complete comprehension. Ideal for students and lifelong learners, the Vocabbett Classics annotated edition provides all the tools you need to understand The Prince as a product of its time...and a lens into the timeless struggle for power.