Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) was an Italian diplomat, philosopher, historian, writer and Pythagorean initiate who lived during the Renaissance. He wrote comedies, poems, several books and historical and philosophical treatises, but is internationally best known for his political treatise The Prince (Il Principe), written around 1513. He has often been called the father of modern political philosophy and political science. The Art of War (Dell'arte della guerra), written between 1519 and 1520 and published the following year, was Machiavelli's only historical or political work printed during his lifetime, though he was appointed official historian of Florence. The format of this works, still studied worldwide in many military academies, is a socratic dialogue. It's divided into a preface and seven books, which take the form of a series of dialogues that take place at the Orti Oricellari, the last seat of the Florentine Platonic Academy. About this work, the French philosopher Voltaire wrote: «Machiavelli taught Europe the art of war; it had long been practiced, without being known». We propose it today to our readers in the valuable English translation of 1675 by Henry Neville.