The Prince — Page 11

English → It Preface Level 8/10

And because Dante says:

E poiché Dante dice:

Knowledge doth come of learning well retained, Unfruitful else,

La scienza viene dall'apprendimento ben conservato, altrimenti infruttuoso,

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:

Ho annotato ciò che ho ricavato dalla loro conversazione, e ho composto un piccolo lavoro sui 'Principati,' dove mi esprimo nel modo più completo possibile meditando sull'argomento, discutendo cosa sia un principato, quali tipi ne esistano, come possano essere acquisiti, come possano essere mantenuti, perché vadano perduti:

and if any of my fancies ever pleased you, this ought not to displease you:

e se mai qualcuna delle mie idee vi è piaciuta, questa non dovrebbe dispiacervi:

and to a prince, especially to a new one, it should be welcome:

e a un principe, specialmente a uno nuovo, dovrebbe essere gradita:

therefore I dedicate it to his Magnificence Giuliano.

perciò la dedico alla sua Magnificenza 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 l'ha vista; potrà dirvi cosa vi si trova, e dei discorsi che ho avuto con lui; nondimeno, la sto ancora arricchendo e rifinendo."

The "little book" suffered many vicissitudes before attaining the form in which it has reached us.

Il "libretto" subì molte vicissitudini prima di raggiungere la forma in cui è giunto fino a noi.

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.

Varie influenze intellettuali erano all'opera durante la sua composizione; il suo titolo e il suo dedicatario furono cambiati; e per qualche ragione sconosciuta fu infine dedicato 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.

Sebbene Machiavelli avesse discusso con Casavecchio se dovesse essere inviato o presentato di persona al dedicatario, non vi è alcuna prova che Lorenzo lo abbia mai ricevuto o persino letto: certamente non affidò mai alcun incarico a Machiavelli.

Although it was plagiarized during Machiavelli's lifetime, _The Prince_ was never published by him, and its text is still disputable.

Sebbene fosse plagiato durante la vita di Machiavelli, _Il Principe_ non fu mai pubblicato da lui, e il suo testo è ancora controverso.

Vocabulary

poiché: Conjunction meaning 'since' or 'because'.
dice: Third person singular of 'dire'; means 'says' or 'tells'.
scienza: Noun meaning 'science' or 'knowledge'.
viene: Third person singular of 'venire'; means 'comes'.
apprendimento: Noun meaning 'learning' or 'acquisition of knowledge'.
ben: Adverb meaning 'well', shortened form of 'bene'.
conservato: Past participle of 'conservare'; meaning 'preserved' or 'retained'.
altrimenti: Adverb meaning 'otherwise' or 'or else'.
infruttuoso: Adjective meaning 'fruitless', 'unproductive', or 'futile'.
annotato: Past participle of 'annotare'; meaning 'noted down' or 'annotated'.
ciò: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'that thing'.
ricavato: Past participle of 'ricavare'; meaning 'derived' or 'obtained'.
conversazione: Noun meaning 'conversation' or 'discussion'.
composto: Past participle of 'comporre'; meaning 'composed' or 'compiled'.
piccolo: Adjective meaning 'small' or 'little'.
lavoro: Noun meaning 'work', 'labor', or 'job'.
Principati: Noun meaning 'principalities', territories ruled by a prince.
dove: Adverb meaning 'where'; also used as a conjunction.
esprimo: First person singular of 'esprimere'; means 'I express'.
modo: Noun meaning 'way', 'manner', or 'mode'.
più: Adverb meaning 'more' or 'most'.
completo: Adjective meaning 'complete', 'full', or 'thorough'.
possibile: Adjective meaning 'possible' or 'feasible'.
meditando: Gerund of 'meditare'; meaning 'meditating' or 'reflecting on'.
argomento: Noun meaning 'subject', 'topic', or 'argument'.
discutendo: Gerund of 'discutere'; meaning 'discussing' or 'debating'.
cosa: Noun meaning 'thing'; also used interrogatively as 'what'.
sia: Subjunctive form of 'essere'; means 'is' or 'may be'.
principato: Noun meaning 'principality', a state ruled by a prince.
quali: Interrogative or relative pronoun meaning 'which' or 'what kinds'.
tipi: Noun meaning 'types', 'kinds', or 'sorts'.
ne: Pronoun meaning 'of it', 'of them', or 'some'.
esistano: Subjunctive form of 'esistere'; means 'may exist' or 'exist'.
possano: Subjunctive form of 'potere'; means 'they can' or 'may be able'.
essere: Infinitive meaning 'to be'; fundamental auxiliary verb.
acquisiti: Past participle of 'acquisire'; meaning 'acquired' or 'obtained'.
mantenuti: Past participle of 'mantenere'; meaning 'maintained' or 'held'.
perché: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'why' or 'because'.
vadano: Subjunctive form of 'andare'; means 'they go' or 'may go'.
perduti: Past participle of 'perdere'; meaning 'lost'.
se: Conjunction meaning 'if'; also reflexive pronoun 'himself/herself'.
mai: Adverb meaning 'ever' or 'never' depending on context.
qualcuna: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'any' or 'some' (feminine singular).
idee: Noun meaning 'ideas' or 'thoughts'.
vi: Pronoun meaning 'to you', 'you', or 'there'.
piaciuta: Past participle of 'piacere'; meaning 'pleased' or 'liked'.
dovrebbe: Conditional of 'dovere'; means 'should' or 'ought to'.
dispiacervi: Infinitive 'dispiacere' with 'vi'; means 'to displease you'.
principe: Noun meaning 'prince' or 'ruler' of a state.
specialmente: Adverb meaning 'especially' or 'particularly'.
nuovo: Adjective meaning 'new' or 'novel'.
gradita: Past participle of 'gradire'; meaning 'welcomed' or 'appreciated'.
perciò: Conjunction meaning 'therefore' or 'for this reason'.
dedico: First person singular of 'dedicare'; means 'I dedicate'.
Magnificenza: Noun meaning 'Magnificence', honorific title for a noble.
vista: Past participle of 'vedere'; meaning 'seen'; also 'view'.
potrà: Future tense of 'potere'; means 'he/she/it will be able'.
dirvi: Infinitive 'dire' with 'vi'; means 'to tell you'.
trova: Third person singular of 'trovare'; means 'finds' or 'is located'.
discorsi: Noun meaning 'discourses', 'speeches', or 'conversations'.
avuto: Past participle of 'avere'; meaning 'had'.
nondimeno: Adverb meaning 'nevertheless' or 'nonetheless'.
sto: First person singular of 'stare'; means 'I am' (progressive).
ancora: Adverb meaning 'still', 'yet', or 'again'.
arricchendo: Gerund of 'arricchire'; meaning 'enriching' or 'enhancing'.
rifinendo: Gerund of 'rifinire'; meaning 'refining' or 'finishing off'.
libretto: Noun meaning 'small book' or 'booklet'; also opera text.
subì: Past tense of 'subire'; means 'underwent' or 'suffered'.
molte: Adjective meaning 'many' or 'a lot of' (feminine plural).
vicissitudini: Noun meaning 'vicissitudes', changes of fortune or circumstances.
prima: Adverb or preposition meaning 'before' or 'first'.
raggiungere: Infinitive meaning 'to reach', 'to achieve', or 'to attain'.
forma: Noun meaning 'form', 'shape', or 'format'.
cui: Relative pronoun meaning 'which', 'whom', or 'whose'.
giunto: Past participle of 'giungere'; meaning 'arrived' or 'reached'.
fino: Preposition meaning 'until', 'up to', or 'as far as'.
Varie: Adjective meaning 'various', 'several', or 'different'.
influenze: Noun meaning 'influences' or 'effects'.
intellettuali: Adjective or noun meaning 'intellectual' or 'intellectuals'.
erano: Imperfect tense of 'essere'; means 'they were'.
opera: Noun meaning 'work', 'opera', or 'action'; here 'at work'.
durante: Preposition meaning 'during' or 'throughout'.
composizione: Noun meaning 'composition', 'writing', or 'creation'.
titolo: Noun meaning 'title' of a work or person.
dedicatario: Noun meaning 'dedicatee', person to whom a work is dedicated.
furono: Past tense of 'essere'; means 'they were' (remote past).
cambiati: Past participle of 'cambiare'; meaning 'changed' or 'altered'.
qualche: Indefinite adjective meaning 'some' or 'any'.
ragione: Noun meaning 'reason', 'cause', or 'right'.
sconosciuta: Adjective meaning 'unknown' or 'unfamiliar' (feminine singular).
fu: Past tense of 'essere'; means 'was' (third person singular).
infine: Adverb meaning 'finally', 'in the end', or 'at last'.
dedicato: Past participle of 'dedicare'; meaning 'dedicated' or 'devoted'.
Sebbene: Conjunction meaning 'although' or 'even though'.
avesse: Imperfect subjunctive of 'avere'; means 'had' (subjunctive mood).
discusso: Past participle of 'discutere'; meaning 'discussed' or 'debated'.
dovesse: Imperfect subjunctive of 'dovere'; means 'should' or 'ought to'.
inviato: Past participle of 'inviare'; meaning 'sent' or 'dispatched'.
presentato: Past participle of 'presentare'; meaning 'presented' or 'introduced'.
persona: Noun meaning 'person'; here used as 'in person'.
alcuna: Indefinite adjective meaning 'any' or 'no' (feminine singular).
prova: Noun meaning 'proof', 'evidence', or 'test'.
abbia: Present subjunctive of 'avere'; means 'has' or 'may have'.
ricevuto: Past participle of 'ricevere'; meaning 'received'.
persino: Adverb meaning 'even' or 'even so'.
letto: Past participle of 'leggere'; meaning 'read'; also noun 'bed'.
certamente: Adverb meaning 'certainly' or 'definitely'.
affidò: Past tense of 'affidare'; means 'entrusted' or 'assigned'.
alcun: Indefinite adjective meaning 'any' or 'no' (masculine singular).
incarico: Noun meaning 'assignment', 'task', or 'commission'.
fosse: Imperfect subjunctive of 'essere'; means 'was' (subjunctive mood).
plagiato: Past participle of 'plagiare'; meaning 'plagiarized' or 'copied'.
vita: Noun meaning 'life' or 'lifetime'.
pubblicato: Past participle of 'pubblicare'; meaning 'published' or 'released'.
testo: Noun meaning 'text', 'written work', or 'document'.
controverso: Adjective meaning 'controversial' or 'disputed'.

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