The Prince — Page 11
And because Dante says:
Y porque Dante dice:
Knowledge doth come of learning well retained, Unfruitful else,
El conocimiento proviene del aprendizaje bien retenido, Infructuoso de otro modo,
I have noted down what I have gained from their conversation, and have composed a small work on 'Principalities,' where I pour myself out as fully as I can in meditation on the subject, discussing what a principality is, what kinds there are, how they can be acquired, how they can be kept, why they are lost: and if any of my fancies ever pleased you, this ought not to displease you: and to a prince, especially to a new one, it should be welcome: therefore I dedicate it to his Magnificence Giuliano.
He anotado lo que he obtenido de su conversación, y he compuesto una pequeña obra sobre los 'Principados', donde me vuelco tan plenamente como puedo en la meditación sobre el tema, discutiendo qué es un principado, qué clases hay, cómo pueden adquirirse, cómo pueden conservarse, por qué se pierden: y si alguna de mis ideas alguna vez le agradó, esta no debería desagradarle: y para un príncipe, especialmente para uno nuevo, debería ser bienvenida: por lo tanto, se la dedico a su Magnificencia Giuliano.
Filippo Casavecchio has seen it; he will be able to tell you what is in it, and of the discourses I have had with him; nevertheless, I am still enriching and polishing it."
Filippo Casavecchio lo ha visto; él podrá decirle qué contiene, y sobre los discursos que he tenido con él; sin embargo, todavía lo estoy enriqueciendo y puliendo."
The "little book" suffered many vicissitudes before attaining the form in which it has reached us.
El «pequeño libro» sufrió muchas vicisitudes antes de alcanzar la forma en que nos ha llegado.
Various mental influences were at work during its composition; its title and patron were changed; and for some unknown reason it was finally dedicated to Lorenzo de' Medici.
Diversas influencias intelectuales actuaron durante su composición; su título y mecenas fueron cambiados; y por alguna razón desconocida fue finalmente dedicado a Lorenzo de' Medici.
Although Machiavelli discussed with Casavecchio whether it should be sent or presented in person to the patron, there is no evidence that Lorenzo ever received or even read it: he certainly never gave Machiavelli any employment.
Aunque Maquiavelo discutió con Casavecchio si debía enviarse o presentarse en persona al mecenas, no hay evidencia de que Lorenzo lo haya recibido o siquiera leído alguna vez: ciertamente nunca le dio a Maquiavelo ningún empleo.
Although it was plagiarized during Machiavelli's lifetime, _The Prince_ was never published by him, and its text is still disputable.
Aunque fue plagiado durante la vida de Maquiavelo, _El Príncipe_ nunca fue publicado por él, y su texto sigue siendo objeto de disputa.
Vocabulary
- porque
- Conjunction meaning 'because', introducing a reason.
- dice
- Third-person singular present of 'decir': says or tells.
- conocimiento
- Noun meaning knowledge or understanding of something.
- proviene
- Third-person singular of 'provenir': comes from or originates.
- aprendizaje
- Noun meaning the process of learning or acquiring knowledge.
- bien
- Adverb meaning well; also noun meaning good or welfare.
- retenido
- Past participle of 'retener': retained, kept, or memorized.
- Infructuoso
- Adjective meaning fruitless, unproductive, or without useful results.
- otro
- Adjective or pronoun meaning another or other.
- modo
- Noun meaning way, manner, or method of doing something.
- He
- First-person singular auxiliary verb 'haber': I have (done).
- anotado
- Past participle of 'anotar': noted down or written down.
- obtenido
- Past participle of 'obtener': obtained or acquired something.
- conversación
- Noun meaning a spoken exchange or dialogue between people.
- compuesto
- Past participle of 'componer': composed or put together a work.
- pequeña
- Adjective meaning small or little in size or extent.
- obra
- Noun meaning a literary, artistic, or musical work.
- sobre
- Preposition meaning 'about', 'on', or 'over' a topic.
- Principados
- Plural noun meaning principalities, territories ruled by a prince.
- donde
- Relative adverb meaning 'where', referring to a place.
- vuelco
- First-person singular of 'volcar': I throw myself into something.
- tan
- Adverb meaning 'so' or 'as', used in comparisons.
- plenamente
- Adverb meaning fully, completely, or wholly without reservation.
- puedo
- First-person singular present of 'poder': I can or am able.
- meditación
- Noun meaning deep thought, reflection, or contemplation on something.
- tema
- Noun meaning theme, topic, or subject under discussion.
- discutiendo
- Present participle of 'discutir': discussing or debating a topic.
- principado
- Noun meaning a principality, territory governed by a prince.
- clases
- Plural noun meaning classes, types, or kinds of something.
- hay
- Impersonal form of 'haber': there is or there are.
- cómo
- Interrogative adverb meaning 'how', asking about manner or method.
- pueden
- Third-person plural present of 'poder': they can or are able.
- adquirirse
- Reflexive infinitive of 'adquirir': to be acquired or obtained.
- conservarse
- Reflexive infinitive of 'conservar': to be maintained or preserved.
- pierden
- Third-person plural of 'perder': they lose or are lost.
- si
- Conjunction meaning 'if', introducing a conditional clause.
- alguna
- Adjective or pronoun meaning 'some', 'any', or 'certain'.
- ideas
- Plural noun meaning ideas, thoughts, or concepts someone has.
- vez
- Noun meaning time or occasion; used in expressions.
- agradó
- Third-person singular preterite of 'agradar': pleased or was pleasing.
- debería
- Conditional of 'deber': should or ought to do something.
- desagradarle
- Infinitive with pronoun: to displease him, her, or you.
- príncipe
- Noun meaning a prince or ruler of a principality.
- especialmente
- Adverb meaning especially, particularly, or above all others.
- nuevo
- Adjective meaning new, recently established, or newly acquired.
- ser
- Infinitive of the verb 'to be', indicating permanent states.
- bienvenida
- Noun or adjective meaning welcome, a warm or favorable reception.
- tanto
- Adverb meaning 'so much' or 'as much' in comparisons.
- dedico
- First-person singular of 'dedicar': I dedicate something to someone.
- Magnificencia
- Noun meaning magnificence, used as a formal honorific title.
- ha
- Third-person singular auxiliary 'haber': has (done something).
- visto
- Past participle of 'ver': seen or viewed something already.
- podrá
- Third-person singular future of 'poder': he/she will be able.
- decirle
- Infinitive with pronoun: to tell or say something to him/her.
- contiene
- Third-person singular of 'contener': contains or holds within it.
- discursos
- Plural noun meaning speeches, discourses, or extended discussions.
- tenido
- Past participle of 'tener': had or held in some context.
- sin
- Preposition meaning 'without', indicating absence of something.
- embargo
- Noun in 'sin embargo': nevertheless or however, showing contrast.
- todavía
- Adverb meaning 'still' or 'yet', indicating ongoing state.
- estoy
- First-person singular of 'estar': I am (temporary state).
- enriqueciendo
- Present participle of 'enriquecer': enriching or improving something further.
- puliendo
- Present participle of 'pulir': polishing, refining, or perfecting work.
- pequeño
- Adjective meaning small, little, or minor in size or importance.
- libro
- Noun meaning a book, a written or printed publication.
- sufrió
- Third-person singular preterite of 'sufrir': suffered or underwent hardship.
- muchas
- Feminine plural adjective meaning many or a large number.
- vicisitudes
- Plural noun meaning vicissitudes, changes, or unpredictable life events.
- antes
- Adverb meaning before, previously, or in an earlier time.
- alcanzar
- Verb meaning to reach, attain, or achieve a goal or form.
- forma
- Noun meaning form, shape, or the way something is structured.
- llegado
- Past participle of 'llegar': arrived or come to a destination.
- Diversas
- Adjective meaning diverse, various, or several different kinds.
- influencias
- Plural noun meaning influences or factors shaping thought or work.
- intelectuales
- Adjective or noun meaning intellectual, relating to the mind.
- actuaron
- Third-person plural preterite of 'actuar': acted or had an effect.
- durante
- Preposition meaning 'during' a period of time or event.
- composición
- Noun meaning composition, the process of creating or writing something.
- título
- Noun meaning title, the name given to a work or person.
- mecenas
- Noun meaning patron or sponsor of the arts or literature.
- fueron
- Third-person plural preterite of 'ser' or 'ir': were or went.
- cambiados
- Past participle of 'cambiar': changed, altered, or modified from original.
- razón
- Noun meaning reason, cause, or logical explanation for something.
- desconocida
- Adjective meaning unknown, unfamiliar, or not yet identified.
- fue
- Third-person singular preterite of 'ser' or 'ir': was or went.
- finalmente
- Adverb meaning finally, at last, or in the end.
- dedicado
- Past participle of 'dedicar': dedicated or devoted to someone.
- Aunque
- Conjunction meaning 'although' or 'even though', introducing contrast.
- discutió
- Third-person singular preterite of 'discutir': discussed or debated something.
- debía
- Imperfect of 'deber': should, ought to, or was supposed to.
- enviarse
- Reflexive infinitive of 'enviar': to be sent to someone.
- presentarse
- Reflexive infinitive of 'presentar': to present or introduce oneself.
- persona
- Noun meaning a person or individual human being.
- evidencia
- Noun meaning evidence or proof supporting a claim or fact.
- haya
- Present subjunctive of 'haber': has, used in subordinate clauses.
- recibido
- Past participle of 'recibir': received or accepted something given.
- siquiera
- Adverb meaning 'even' or 'at least', used in negations.
- leído
- Past participle of 'leer': read a text or document.
- ciertamente
- Adverb meaning certainly, surely, or without doubt.
- nunca
- Adverb meaning never, at no time, not on any occasion.
- dio
- Third-person singular preterite of 'dar': gave something to someone.
- ningún
- Adjective meaning no, not any, or none of something.
- empleo
- Noun meaning employment, job, or use of something given.
- plagiado
- Past participle of 'plagiar': plagiarized or copied without attribution.
- vida
- Noun meaning life, the state of being alive.
- publicado
- Past participle of 'publicar': published or made publicly available.
- texto
- Noun meaning text, a written or printed piece of writing.
- sigue
- Third-person singular of 'seguir': continues or keeps on doing.
- siendo
- Present participle of 'ser': being, in a continuous state.
- objeto
- Noun meaning object or subject of attention, debate, or study.
- disputa
- Noun meaning dispute, debate, or controversy over a matter.
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