About The Prince
What it's about
A Florentine diplomat out of work writes a short, shockingly frank guide to power: whether a ruler should be loved or feared, why he must be both fox and lion, and how much of life is ruled by fortune.
Who it's for
Readers interested in leadership, politics and history, and anyone who has heard the word 'Machiavellian' and wants to know what Machiavelli really said.
- Level
- CEFR B2
- Length
- 3 parts · about 912 words
- Reading time
- about 8 minutes (~3 min per part)
- Author
- Niccolò Machiavelli
If you liked this, read
- The Analects · B2
- Perpetual Peace · B2
- The Gospel of Wealth · B2
Looking for something easier or harder? See Easy English books by level (A1–B2).
Reading The Prince in English: quick answers
- What English level is The Prince on SeoJae Story?
- The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli is retold in simplified English at CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate). It is split into 3 short parts, and every sentence has a Korean translation you can show or hide, so a learner at that level can follow the story without a dictionary.
- Is The Prince hard to read in English?
- The original is written for native readers, with long sentences and older vocabulary, so most learners find it hard. This retelling keeps the story but uses simpler English at CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate), so if you read English at that level you can follow it, and the Korean translation is there for any line that stops you. If it feels too hard, start with an easier book one level down.
- How long does it take to read The Prince in simple English?
- About 8 minutes of reading in total — roughly 3 minutes per part across 3 parts. Listening to the audio narration, reviewing the vocabulary and taking each part's comprehension check adds a little more.
- Is this the full, unabridged text of The Prince?
- No. It is an abridged graded retelling written for English learners that follows the story of the original in 3 parts. Every part also lets you read the matching unabridged chapters from the original, split into short readings.
- Is The Prince free to read here?
- Yes. All 3 parts are free to read online, with the Korean translation, audio narration, vocabulary flashcards and comprehension questions included.
- Is The Prince in the public domain?
- Yes. Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince is in the public domain, and the original text is freely available from Project Gutenberg (eBook #1232). SeoJae Story's simplified retelling and Korean translation are original text written for learners.