Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0760757879, Hardcover)

In his world famous political tract, Machiavelli draws upon the Ancients and his contemporaries to advise - perhaps with satirical intent - how a ruler should best preserve power, conduct warfare, and maintain his reputation. While rulers should embody virtue and honor, success often must come from disregard for ethical concerns. The term 'Machiavellian,' used to describe the ruthless pursuit of political ends without regard for morality, has arisen both from an over-simplification of The Prince and a failure to consider it in the context of Machiavelli's other writings.