Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli Quotes
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And when neither their property nor honour is touched, the majority of men live content, and he has only to contend with the ambition of a few, whom he can curb with ease in many ways.
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There is nothing more important than appearing to be religious.
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....nothing is so unhealthy or unstable as the reputation for power that is not based on one's own power.
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Because just as good morals, if they are to be maintained, have need of the laws, so the laws, if they are to be observed, have need of good morals.
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Ability and perseverance are the weapons of weakness.
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As the observance of divine institutions is the cause of the greatness of republics, so the disregard of them produces their ruin; for where the fear of God is wanting, there the country will come to ruin, unless it be sustained the fear of the prince, which temporarily supply the want of religion.
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The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms.
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There is no other way to guard yourself against flattery than by making men understand that telling you the truth will not offend you.
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So long as the great majority of men are not deprived of either property or honor, they are satisfied.
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He who neglects what is done for what ought to be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation.
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Wisdom consists of knowing how to distinguish the nature of trouble, and in choosing the lesser evil.
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Change has no constituency.
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God is not willing to do everything, and thus take away our free will and that share of glory which belongs to us.
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It makes him hated above all things, as I have said, to be rapacious, and to be a violator of the property and women of his subjects, from both of which he must abstain.
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It is much better to tempt fortune where it can favor you than to see your certain ruin by not tempting it.
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Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.
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Whoever desires to found a state and give it laws, must start with assuming that all men are bad and ever ready to display their vicious nature, whenever they may find occasion for it.
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A battle that you win cancels any other bad action of yours. In the same way, by losing one, all the good things worked by you before become vain.
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One should never permit a disorder to persist in order to avoid a war, for wars cannot be avoided and can only be deferred to the advantage of others.
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The end of the republic is to enervate and to weaken all other bodies so as to increase its own body.
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Then also pretexts for seizing property are never wanting, and one who begins to live by rapine will always find some reason for taking the goods of others, whereas causes for taking life are rarer and more quickly destroyed.
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You do not know the unfathomable cowardice of humanity...servile in the face of force, pitiless in the face of weakness, implacable before blunders, indulgent before crimes...and patient to the point of martyrdom before all the violences of bold despotism.
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The ends justifies the means.
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It makes him contemptible to be considered fickle, frivolous, effeminate, mean-spirited, irresolute, from all of which a prince should guard himself as from a rock; and he should endeavour to show in his actions greatness, courage, gravity, and fortitude; and in his private dealings with his subjects let him show that his judgments are irrevocable, and maintain himself in such reputation that no one can hope either to deceive him or to get round him.