Abstract

Strauss strives to restore to Machiavelli his evil reputation, pointing out that the originality of his work has to be sought not in the novelty of his understanding of political phenomena, but rather in his acceptance of an image of man which stresses not the ideal in him but the base. Particularly interesting in this thorough study are the discussion of Machiavelli's attitude toward religion and the emphasis Strauss puts on Machiavelli's use of numbers as a key to his work.--K. H.