Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli Quotes
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When neither their property nor their honor is touched, the majority of men live content.
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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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Wisdom consists of knowing how to distinguish the nature of trouble, and in choosing the lesser evil.
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A blast in the human breast is nothing to boast of.
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The ends justifies the means.
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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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There is nothing more important than appearing to be religious.
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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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Men nearly always follow the tracks made by others and proceed in their affairs by imitation, even though they cannot entirely keep to the tracks of others or emulate the prowess of their models. So a prudent man should always follow in the footsteps of great men and imitate those who have been outstanding.
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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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Princes and governments are far more dangerous than other elements within society.
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Change has no constituency.
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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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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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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.
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...people are by nature fickle, and it is easy to persuade them of something, but difficult to keep them persuaded.
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Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.
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With difficulty he is beaten who can estimate his own forces and those of his enemy.
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It is a foolish prince who entrusts the safety of his lands to hired men.
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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 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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Good order and discipline in any army are to be depended upon more than courage alone.
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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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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.