Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli Quotes
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We must distinguish between those who depend on others, that is between those who to achieve their purposes can force the issue and those who must use persuasion. In the second case, they always come to grief, having achieved nothing; when, however, they depend on their own resources and can force the issue, then they are seldom endangered.
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Hatred is gained as much by good works as by evil.
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A wise prince will seek means by which his subjects will always and in every possible condition of things have need of his government, and then they will always be faithful to him.
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For titles do not reflect honor on men, but rather men on their titles.
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Make no small plans for they have no power to stir the soul.
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There should be many judges, for few will always do the will of few.
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One must consider the final result...
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I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for adulation is lacking.
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For this is the tragedy of man circumstances change, but he does not.
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Before all else, be armed.
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Knowing how to fight made men more bold, because no one fears doing what it seems to him he has learned to do. Therefore, the ancients wanted their citizens to be trained in every warlike action.
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You must know, then, that there are two methods of fighting, the one by law, the other by force: the first method is that of men, the second of beasts; but as the first method is often insufficient, one must have recourse to the second.
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For one change always leaves a dovetail into which another will fit.
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The world has always been the same; and there is always as much good fortune as bad in it.
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A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise.
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The sinews of war are not gold, but good soldiers.
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A wise prince then...should never be idle in times of peace but should industriously lay up stores of which to avail himself in times of adversity so that when fortune abandons him he may be prepared to resist her blows.
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Men may second fortune, but they cannot thwart her.
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A prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war and its rules and discipline; for this is the sole art that belongs to him who rules, and it is of such force that it not only upholds those who are born princes, but it often enables men to rise from a private station to that rank. And, on the contrary, it is seen that when princes have thought more of ease than of arms they have lost their states. And the first cause of your losing it is to neglect this art; and what enables you to acquire a state is to be master of the art.