Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli Quotes
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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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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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Results are often obtained by impetuosity and daring which could never have been obtained by ordinary methods.
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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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There is nothing more important than appearing to be religious.
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By the delusions of seeming good the people are often misled to desire their own ruin; and they are frequently influenced by great hopes and brave promises.
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Change has no constituency.
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And truly it is a very natural and ordinary thing to desire to acquire, and always, when men do it who can, they will be praised or not blamed; but when they cannot, and wish to do it anyway, here lies the error and the blame.
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The ends justifies the means.
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A prince, therefore, must not mind incurring the charge of cruelty for the purpose of keeping his subjects united and confident; for, with a very few examples, he will be more merciful than those who, from excess of tenderness, allow disorders to arise, from whence spring murders and rapine; for these as a rule injure the whole community, while the executions carried out by the prince injure only one individual. And of all princes, it is impossible for a new prince to escape the name of cruel, new states being always full of dangers.
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When neither their property nor their honor is touched, the majority of men live content.
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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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No proceeding is better than that which you have concealed from the enemy until the time you have executed it. To know how to recognize an opportunity in war, and take it, benefits you more than anything else. Nature creates few men brave, industry and training makes many. Discipline in war counts more than fury.
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Good order and discipline in any army are to be depended upon more than courage alone.
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A blast in the human breast is nothing to boast of.
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It is a foolish prince who entrusts the safety of his lands to hired men.
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With difficulty he is beaten who can estimate his own forces and those of his enemy.
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The nature of man is such that people consider themselves put under an obligation as much by the benefits they confer as by those they receive.
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Princes and governments are far more dangerous than other elements within society.
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That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; for, provided it is well known that he is an excellent man and revered by his people, he can only be attacked with difficulty.
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One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived.
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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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Men are so simple and yield so readily to the desires of the moment that he who will trick will always find another who will suffer to be tricked.
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One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others.