17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful edition, March 19, 2006
I won't expound the joys of reading Machiavelli since many other reviewers have done so. Peter Bondanella's translation is wonderfully readable, capturing both the cadence and elegant simplicity of Machiavelli. Bondanella has updated his previous translation of 'The Prince' (with Mark Musa), which can be found in the previous Oxford edition and in the Viking Portable Machiavelli. The introduction by Maurizio Viroli is a pleasant new feature. The introduction covers all of the basic points necessary for anyone new to Machiavelli, while including some of Viroli's own ideas about Machiavelli's use of contemporary principles of rhetoric. For a more detailed introduction to Machiavelli you may also want to try the paperback edition of Viroli's book Machiavelli (Founders of Modern Political and Social Thought), although the price is quite high for an introduction. Two excellent and inexpensive introductions are Quentin Skinner's Machiavelli: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) and Cary Nederman's 'Machiavelli: A Beginner's Guide' Machiavelli: A Beginner's Guide (Beginners Guide (Oneworld)), both of which cover more than just 'The Prince'. Finally, the low price makes this edition a great value.
UPDATE 11/19/2011: MORE DETAIL
After having worked with this edition for a few years now, I feel the need to adjust my initial review in one way. The translation is not exactly the same as the one provided in 'The Portable Machiavelli' The Portable Machiavelli. 'The Portable Machiavelli' translation is based on the older edition done by Mark Musa, which Peter Bondanella contribute to as well. However, the Oxford World's Classics edition listed above is done solely by Bondanella. Bondanella claims that "This new version of The Prince aims at accuracy but also at a more pleasing and readable English prose style than is possible if a translation respects Machiavelli's word order too closely." (p. xl)Presumably, this reference to strict adherence to word order is directed towards the older Mark Musa translation. Having worked with both alongside the Italian offered in an older edition (Machiavelli's The Prince: A Bilingual Edition), the Bondanella translation fulfills its stated objective well. Bondanella accomplishes this by breaking up some longer sentences into separate shorter sentences. The translations are substantively similar.
Here's a comparison of how the two translations and original Italian present a well-known passage:
Peter Bondanella, Oxford World's Classics
"I therefore conclude that, since Fortune varies and men remain obstinate in their ways, men prosper when the two are in harmony and fail to prosper when they are not in accord. I certainly believe this: that it is better to be impetuous than cautious because Fortune is a woman, and if you want to keep her under it is necessary to beat her and force her down. It is clear that she more often allows herself to be won over by impetuous men than by those who proceed coldly. And so, like a woman, Fortune is always the friend of young men, for they are less cautious, more ferocious, and command her with more audacity." (p. 87)
Mark Musa and Peter Bondanella, The Portable Machiavelli
"I conclude, therefore, that since Fortune changes and men remain set in their ways, men will succeed when the two are in harmony and fail when they are not in accord. I am certainly convinced of this: that it is better to be impetuous than cautious, because Fortune is a woman, and it is necessary, in order to keep her down, to beat her and to struggle with her. And it is seen that she more often allows herself to be taken over by men who are impetuous than by those who make cold advances; and then, being a woman, she is always a friend of the young men, for they are less cautious, more aggressive, and they command her with more audacity." (p. 162)
Machiavelli's The Prince: A Bilingual Edition
"Concludo adunque, che, variando la fortuna e stando li uomini ne' loro modi ostinati, sono felici mentre concordano insieme, e, come discordano, infelici. Io iudico bene questo: che sia meglio essere impetuoso che respetivo; perchè la fortuna è donna, ed è necessario, volendola tenere sotto, batterla e urtarla. E si vede che la si lascia più vincere da questi, che da quelli che freddamente procedono; e però sempre, come donna, è amica de' giovanni, perchè sono meno respettivi, più feroci e con più audacia la comandano." (p. 214)
I hope this is helpful and I'm sorry I couldn't say all this more quickly.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Yes, that is the politics, June 16, 2000
Niccolo Machiavelli was obviously very bright and talented man. He was negotiator in foreign affairs for the Florentine republic and has seen (and of course used) many diplomatic features which are commonly used even today. To be taken back to favor with deMedici family, which house arrested him after he defended his town against their attack, he wrote a book in which he put his vast knowledge to them. This book is a perfect example of 15th and 16th century politics and is written as a workbook for a succesful ruler. Its principles remain unchanged and therefore it is basic reading for most political and economical high schools. After you finish it you realize that democracy most of the time uses rules of brutal Middle Ages, they are only packed more nicely than they used to be. If you need political or business success or if you need to lead people in any sort of way, you can't miss this little book.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The basic lesson for all who want to rule the world!, November 8, 1999
This book is very useful for politicians and rulers; no wonder many conquerors such as Cromwell, Louis XIV,Napoleon I, and Adolf Hitler have spent many years perusing and practicing it.Unfortunately, the passage of time has dimmed the influence and power of this book.Let me take several historical examples: Louis XIV and Cromwell on the seventeenth century has very successfully practiced the methods in this book to gain power. Louis XIV could rule France absolutely until his death without any considerable rebellion.On the beginning of the nineteenth century Napoleon I also did the same thing as Louis XIV;on the onset of his empire he ruled successfully, but his power diminished drastically and he was forced to abdicate twice and exiled.This is because his enemies had known that he was merely copying the methods in this book. Adolf Hitler, on World War II also did the same thing and he was forced to bow down to his enemies only 5 years after the beginning of the war. If we practiced these methods now, I think that we won't win more than a single battle or two. Nowadays many people in the world have read this book, not except an 11-year Indonesian girl like me. To gain power and deceive the world now, we should use a new method. Nowadays the world is almost united and democracy is very popular. To conquer the world we must use a new method, and not merely relying on this book like our predecesors unless we are ready to meet failure very soon. This book is a good beginning,anyhow. Go and get it. I am sure that anyone interested in history(especially Italian history in the sixteenth century),politics and art of war & gaining power will enjoy perusing it very much. Who knows, you will be the first(wo)man to conquer and control the world?
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