Le Prince de Nicolas Machiavel
“A seminal work in the foundation of modern political theory.
The Principe had a wide dissemination throughout early modern Europe. It was read, among others,
by Jean Bodin, Thomas Hobbes, David Hume, Louis-Charles de Montesquieu and Jean-Jacques Rousseau” (Books that made Europe).
“From a literary point of view, The Principe is a masterpiece, one of the greatest masterpieces of Italian prose” (Gallimard).
Rare first edition of the French translation of The Principe by Jacques Gohory.
Paris, 1571.
Together 2 works in 1 volume 8vo of (8) ll., 280 ll., (10) ll., (1) blk. l. for discours ; (8) ll., 64 ll. for le Prince; red lansenist morocco, ribbed spine, double gilt fillet on edges, gilt edges.
Binding signed « Duru and Chambolle 1862 ».
167 x 108 mm.
Machiavel. Le Prince de Nicolas Machiavel secrétaire et citoyen florentin dédié au magnifique Laurent fils de Pierre de Médicis. Traduit d'italien en français avec la vie de l'auteur par Jacques Gohory Parisien.
Paris, Robert le Mangnier, 1571.
Preceded by : Les Discours Nic. Macchiavel secrétaire et citoyen de Florence, sur la première décade de Tite Live dez l'édification de la ville traduitz d'italien en françois par Jacques Gohory Parisien.
Paris, Robert le Mangnier, 1571.
First edition of the French translation of The Principe given by the humanist Jacques Gohory. It’s decorated with an engraved portrait of Machiavel and contains his biography.
Brunet, III, 1277.
“A seminal work in the foundation of modern political theory. The Principe had a wide dissemination throughout early modern Europe. It was read, among others, by Jean Bodin, Thomas Hobbes, David Hume, Louis-Charles de Montesquieu and Jean-Jacques Rousseau” (Books that made Europe).
This seminal book contains the clearest and most lucid expression ever formulated of a strictly political thought; it is also a literary masterpiece, stripped down and concise.
"Machiavelli's The Principe is undoubtedly his most widely read and discussed work, the most exalted and denigrated of all political literature of all time. It was written between July and December 1513.
This seminal book contains the clearest and most lucid expression of strictly political thought ever formulated. Politics is felt here almost instinctively, in such an immediate and powerful way that no other voice can be heard except that of the interests of the state. (Dictionnaire des Œuvres).
“From a literary point of view, The Principe is a masterpiece, one of the greatest masterpieces of Italian prose” (Gallimard).
“Machiavelli's influence spread throughout France in the second half of the 16th century. The Discourses and The Principe were translated. The historian E.C. Davila, who served at court, reported that Henry III had his Italian reader Jacopo Corbinelli and the Christian humanist Batolomeo d'Elbène comment on The Discourses and The Principe” (Les traités monarchomaques, P. A. Mellet, p.256).
Machiavelli's The Principe is undoubtedly his most widely read and discussed work, the most praised and most reviled in the history of political literature. It was written between July and December 1513.
The Principe represents the clearest and most lucid expression of a political doctrine ever formulated.
The translator, Jacques Gohory (died in 1576), was prior of Marsilly. He gathered his friends Ambroise Paré, President Fauchet, Fernel, and Chatelain at his home, where they held literary and scientific conferences.
An attractive wide-margined copy of this very rare and sought-after first French edition.
