For over four hundred years, The Prince has been the basic handbook of politics, statesmanship, and power. Written by a Florentine nobleman whose name has become a synonym for crafty plotting, this fascinating document is as pertinent today as when it first appeared. The most successful statesman of his era, Machiavelli wanted to set down for all time the rules and moves in the ageless game of politics. The result is this highly readable, witty - and devilishly shrewd - formula that has long been required reading for anyone interested in politics and power.