Square & Co. Signature Gilded Classics line. Niccolo Machiavelli’s 16th-century political treatise has been controversial and influential for centuries. Written as a guide for new princes and royals, Machiavelli provides a candid and unflinching assessment of the realities of power and politics. The Prince is often considered one of the first works of modern political philosophy. This edition also includes Machiavelli’s The Art of War, a work of political theory that examines the role of the military in the lives of everyday citizens.