Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli Quotes
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One should never risk one's whole fortune unless supported by one's entire forces.
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Human beings remain constant in their methods of conduct.
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You must never believe that the enemy does not know how to conduct his own affairs. Indeed, if you want to be deceived less and want to bear less danger, the more the enemy is weak or the less the enemy is cautious, so much more must you esteem him.
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Men are so stupid and concerned with their present needs, they will always let themselves be deceived.
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Any harm you do to a man should be done in such a way that you need not fear his revenge.
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He who blinded by ambition, raises himself to a position whence he cannot mount higher, must thereafter fall with the greatest loss.
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Since the handling of arms is a beautiful spectacle, it is delightful to young men.
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Although deceit is detestable in all other things, yet in the conduct of war it is laudable and honorable; and a commander who vanquishes an enemy by stratagem is equally praised with one who gains victory by force.
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To know in war how to recognize an opportunity and seize it is better than anything else.
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I hold it to be a proof of great prudence for men to abstain from threats and insulting words toward anyone, for neither diminishes the strength of the enemy.
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It is a foolish prince who entrusts the safety of his lands to hired men.
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And above all you ought to guard against leading an army to fight which is afraid or which is not confident of victory. For the greatest sign of an impending loss is when one does not believe one can win.
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The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.
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The greatest remedy that is used against a plan of the enemy is to do voluntarily what he plans that you do by force.
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One must consider the final result...
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Whoever is the cause of another becoming powerful, is ruined himself.
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Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them.
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Ability and perseverance are the weapons of weakness.
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Benefits should be granted little by little, so that they may be better enjoyed.
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We must bear in mind, then, that there is nothing more difficult and dangerous, or more doubtful of success, than an attempt to introduce a new order of things in any state. For the innovator has for enemies all those who derived advantages from the old order of things, whilst those who expect to be benefited by the new institutions will be but lukewarm defenders.
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A prince who is not himself wise cannot be wisely advised. . . . Good advice depends on the shrewdness of the prince who seeks it, and not the shrewdness of the prince on good advice.
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There is nothing that Nature seems to have inclined us to as much as society.
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One should never allow chaos to develop in order to avoid going to war, because one does not avoid a war but instead puts it off to his disadvantage...
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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.