TotheMagnificentLorenzoDiPieroDe' Medici: Thosewhostrivetoobtainthegoodgracesofaprinceareaccustomedtocomebeforehimwithsuchthingsastheyholdmostprecious, orinwhichtheyseehimtakemostdelight; whenceoneoftenseeshorses, arms, clothofgold, preciousstones, andsimilarornamentspresentedtoprinces, worthyoftheirgreatness.
DesiringthereforetopresentmyselftoyourMagnificencewithsometestimonyofmydevotiontowardsyou, IhavenotfoundamongmypossessionsanythingwhichIholdmoredearthan, orvaluesomuchas, theknowledgeoftheactionsofgreatmen, acquiredbylongexperienceincontemporaryaffairs, andacontinualstudyofantiquity; which, havingreflecteduponitwithgreatandprolongeddiligence, Inowsend, digestedintoalittlevolume, toyourMagnificence.
AndalthoughImayconsiderthisworkunworthyofyourcountenance, neverthelessItrustmuchtoyourbenignitythatitmaybeacceptable, seeingthatitisnotpossibleformetomakeabettergiftthantoofferyoutheopportunityofunderstandingintheshortesttimeallthatIhavelearntinsomanyyears, andwithsomanytroublesanddangers; whichworkIhavenotembellishedwithswellingormagnificentwords, norstuffedwithroundedperiods, norwithanyextrinsicallurementsoradornmentswhatever, withwhichsomanyareaccustomedtoembellishtheirworks; forIhavewishedeitherthatnohonourshouldbegivenit, orelsethatthetruthofthematterandtheweightinessofthethemeshallmakeitacceptable.
NordoIholdwiththosewhoregarditasapresumptionifamanoflowandhumbleconditiondaretodiscussandsettletheconcernsofprinces; because, justasthosewhodrawlandscapesplacethemselvesbelowintheplaintocontemplatethenatureofthemountainsandofloftyplaces, andinordertocontemplatetheplainsplacethemselvesuponhighmountains, evensotounderstandthenatureofthepeopleitneedstobeaprince, andtounderstandthatofprincesitneedstobeofthepeople.
Takethen, yourMagnificence, thislittlegiftinthespiritinwhichIsendit; wherein, ifitbediligentlyreadandconsideredbyyou, , youwillseehowunmeritedlyIsufferagreatandcontinuedmalignityoffortune.
