On Monarchy
by Dante Alighieri · De monarchia
Assigned by 1 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- c. 1312-1318
- Era
- Medieval
- Form
- Political theory
- Language
- Latin
- Length
- Short · 110 ppunder 120 pages
- Difficulty
- Demanding3 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendMonarchy, translated by Prue ShawCambridge University Press, 1996The standard annotated translation, in the Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought series.
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A Latin treatise in three books arguing that the world needs a single universal ruler. Book one holds that peace is the condition of human flourishing and that only one supreme monarch can guarantee it. Book two argues that the Roman people acquired their empire by right, not by force. Book three, the most controversial, argues that the emperor's authority comes directly from God and not through the pope. The book was condemned and publicly burned after Dante's death.
No reading guide yet
The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns On Monarchy are verified against each program's published list.
What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.
