Nicholas Machiavel (21 results)

PAP. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. Established seller since 2000.

PAP. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. Established seller since 2000.

HRD. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. Established seller since 2000.

Condition: New.

Condition: New.

HRD. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. Established seller since 2000.

Hard. Condition: Very Good. Second Edition. Text bright, occasional light spotting throughout with heavier spotting on prelims, illustrated inserts extant, ex-libris bookplate on front pastedown, binding firm, some rubbing to boards with some chipping to edges, but overall neat for the age. Size: 8vo.

Hard. Condition: Very Good Minus. Second Edition. Text bright, occasional light spotting throughout with heavier spotting on prelims, ex-libris bookplate on front pastedown, binding firm, rubbing to boards with some chipping to edges, but overall neat for the age. Size: 8vo.

Rare second English edition of Machiavelli s Florentine History, the first edition to appear after Thomas Bedingfield s translation in 1595 of this political and historical account of Florence. Sextodecimo, bound in full leather, morocco spine label gilt titles to the spine in five compartments within raised bands, gilt ruling to the panels, all edges marbled, marbled endpapers, frontispiece. In very good condition. Florentine Histories is a historical account by Italian Renaissance political philosopher and writer Niccolà Machiavelli. After the crisis of 1513, with arrests for conspiracy, torture and after being sentenced to house arrest, Machiavelli's relationship with the Medici family passively began to mend itself. If the dedication of Il Principe (1513) to Lorenzo II de' Medici had not any effect, part of the then dominant faction of the Florence was not against him, and instead granted him an appointment. In his letter he deplores of his idle state, offering his precious political experience to the new lord. To sustain that timid request Machiavelli, with a considerably courtier-like spirit, set his Mandragola for the wedding of Lorenzino de' Medici. In 1520, he was invited to Lucca for a mission of a semiprivate character, indicating that the ostracism was to be raised up. At the end of that year, Giulio Cardinal de Medici commissioned him to write a History of Florence. Although this was not exactly the charge he desired, Machiavelli accepted it as the only possible way to come back into the graces of the Medici. The intent of the work, although semi-officially, was to recover the city's charge of historic officiality. The wage for the appointment was not large (57 florins per year, later increased to 100). The finished work was presented officially to Giulio de' Medici, now Pope Clement VII, in the May 1526. The Pope liked the work and rewarded him, albeit moderately, and asked him support in the creation of a national army, on the wake of his theorical work The Art of War, in the preparations for the War of the League of Cognac. However, after the Sack of Rome (1527) and the fall of the Medici government in Florence, Machiavelli's hopes were dashed. Machiavelli would die soon afterwards.

Hardcover. Condition: Good. Dust Jacket Condition: No Dust Jacket. No Statement of Printing. A Good copy in full brown leather, with black leather spine labels lettered in gold, marbled endpapers. The covers are rubbed and appear original, but the spine has been re-backed, using the original spine leather but newer spine labels. The binding is sound and the text is unmarked, but the paper has tanned/foxed throughout. (Good quality paper: not brittle.) The Art of War is paginated 3-285, followed by Anecdotes on the Life and Writings 286-322, and Hints 323-349. (Not ex-library.). Book.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. 2nd Edition. 1680, the second edition. Translated by Henry Neville. Folio. 11 works in one volume. Pagination is erratic (as usual): [24] 177, 188-189, [5], 199-263 [mis-numbered 256], 266-267, [5], 267-314, 317-431, [5], 433-528pp. Contents as per list: The History of Florence; The Prince; The Original of the Guelf and Ghibilin Factions; The Life of Castruccio Castracani; The Murther of Vitelli; The State of France; The State of Germany; The Discourses on Titus Livius; The Art of War; The Marriage of Belphegor; Machiavel's Letter in Vindication of Himself and his Writings. Contemporary calf boards, blind ruled, recently sympathetically re-cased and corners repaired. New hand-made end papers. Faded marbling to page edges. Occasional age-toning and light marginal spotting. A Very Good copy of this rare work. Wing M129; ESTC R13145.