The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves. -Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince Machiavelli's analysis of the ways men seize, retain, and lose power represented the first expos of realpolitik and it has been used ever since as a handbook for manipulating events to one's own advantage. Offering an explicit insight into the minds of a ruler, here is a practical handbook and a political treatise exploring the attainment, maintenance and utilization of political power in the Western world. - It warns that if a state is not governed properly it shall collapse on the ruler. - It describes the art and craft of war. - It elaborates on the qualities of a prince and his prudence. - It gives lessons in statesmanship and on judging the strength of principalities. One of the first works of modern political philosophy, Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince expounds on why the princes of Italy lost their states. This brilliant interpretation of The Prince is an entertaining accompaniment to one of the most famous books ever written.