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The Prince quotes

Niccolò Machiavelli

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“Men will not look at things as they really are, but as they wish them to be—and are ruined.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“Hence it is necessary for a prince wishing to hold his own to know how to do wrong, and to make use of it or not according to necessity.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“But when you disarm them, you at once offend them by showing that you distrust them, either for cowardice or for want of loyalty, and either of these opinions breeds hatred against you.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“Upon this, one has to remark that men ought either to be well treated or crushed, because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries, of more serious ones they cannot; therefore the injury that is to be done to a man ought to be of such a...” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“Besides this, one cannot by fair dealing, and without injury to others, satisfy the nobles, but you can satisfy the people, for their object is more righteous than that of the nobles, the latter wishing to oppress, while the former only desire...” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehended; and a third which neither comprehends by itself nor by the showing of others; the first is the most excellent, the...” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“He who believes that new benefits will cause great personages to forget old injuries is deceived.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are, and those few dare not oppose themselves to the opinion of the many, who have the majesty of the state to defend them; and in the actions of all men, and especially of princes,...” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“a prince should guard himself, above all things, against being despised and hated; and liberality leads you to both.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“injuries ought to be done all at one time, so that, being tasted less, they offend less; benefits ought to be given little by little, so that the flavour of them may last longer.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“the vulgar are always taken by what a thing seems to be and by what comes of it; and in the world there are only the vulgar, for the few find a place there only when the many have no ground to rest on.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“Therefore a wise prince ought to adopt such a course that his citizens will always in every sort and kind of circumstance have need of the state and of him, and then he will always find them faithful.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“In conclusion, the arms of others either fall from your back, or they weigh you down, or they bind you fast.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“And the first opinion which one forms of a prince, and of his understanding, is by observing the men he has around him; and when they are capable and faithful he may always be considered wise, because he has known how to recognize the capable and...” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“The wish to acquire is in truth very natural and common, and men always do so when they can, and for this they will be praised not blamed; but when they cannot do so, yet wish to do so by any means, then there is folly and blame.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“men are so simple, and so subject to present necessities, that he who seeks to deceive will always find someone who will allow himself to be deceived.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“it is necessary to be a fox to discover the snares and a lion to terrify the wolves.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“The Switzers are completely armed and quite free.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“Hence it is that all armed prophets have conquered, and the unarmed ones have been destroyed.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“that war is just which is necessary, and arms are hallowed when there is no other hope but in them.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“God is not willing to do everything, and thus take away our free will and that share of glory which belongs to us.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“It is of the greatest important in this world that a man should know himself, and the measure of his own strength and means; and he who knows that he has not a genius for fighting must learn how to govern by the arts of peace.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“We have not seen great things done in our time except by those who have been considered mean; the rest have failed.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms; and as there cannot be good laws where the state is not well armed, it follows that where they are well armed they have good laws.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“Thus it will always happen that he who is not your friend will demand your neutrality, whilst he who is your friend will entreat you to declare yourself with arms.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“And when neither their property nor their honor 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.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“For, although one may be very strong in armed forces, yet in entering a province one has always need of the goodwill of the natives.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“where the willingness is great the difficulties cannot be great” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“Yet it cannot be called talent to slay fellow-citizens, to deceive friends, to be without faith, without mercy, without religion; such methods may gain empire, but not glory.” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
“when you see the servant thinking more of his own interests than of yours, and seeking inwardly his own profit in everything, such a man will never make a good servant, nor will you ever be able to trust him” Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince

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war wish people hate power wisdom force glory faithfulness necessity army weapons reality self-knowledge peace ruin freedom oppression fear God

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Niccolò Machiavelli quotes