The Prince/YMMV

• Alternate Character Interpretation: One theory holds that Machiavelli was actually a satirist. This is not a crackpot theory held solely by humorists; The Prince is the only work of Machiavelli's that overtly argues for despotism, in contrast with his others, which deal with the administration of republics. Several scholars and Rousseau agree; Rousseau writes, "Machiavelli's The Prince is the book of republicans....The court of Rome has sternly prohibited his book. I can well believe it; it is the court he most clearly depicts."
• Fair for Its Day: With the state of Italy (and most of the rest of Europe the world for that matter) anything else would be hopelessly idealistic.
• Magnificent Bastard: What you should become if you take this book as your guide.
  • So much so that the adjective "Machiavellian" is used to describe the highest quality of Magnificent Bastardry.