A superior treatment of Machiavelli’s minor masterpiece! Flaumenhaft’s beautifully crafted, literal translation aims to capture the original intent of the playwright. Machiavelli himself distinguished carefully between translations and revisions; thus, Flaumenhaft finds a faithful translation essential to conveying Machiavelli’s thought and to allowing direct access to the work. The Prologue explores the relationship between Machiavelli’s stage comedies – part of the Comedia Erudita of the Italian Renaissance – and his political books. Mandragola focuses on the interplay between personal and political ethics, a major theme throughout his works.