A worthy translation of an important document in political philosophy! What separates this translation from others available is de Alvarez’s attempt to be literal in order to preserve the remarkable precision of Machiavelli’s speech. This distinctively accurate translation has been described as “careful, unusual, and challenging,” permitting the reader to appreciate the manner and substance of Machiavelli’s argument. States the translator in his twenty-four page introduction: “Among the reasons why this translation attempts to preserve the difficulties and ambiguities of the text is that Machiavelli is providing a puzzle that must be carefully and patiently worked through, and only those so willing to work will see what it is he has ‘with great diligence long reflected upon and examined.’ In other words, Machiavelli intends that the reader be caught up in the web of his discourse, and he does this by fascinating his readers with difficulties.”