Machiavelli Quotes

(A ruler) cannot and should not keep his word when to do so would go against his interests or when the reason he pledged it no longer holds.

He who builds on the people, builds on the mud

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.

Among other evils which being unarmed brings you, it causes you to be despised.

You have to be a prince to understand the people, and you have to belong to the people to understand the princes.

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.

Prudence therefore consists in knowing how to distinguish degrees of disadvantage.

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.

When settling disputes between his subjects, he should ensure that his judgement is irrevocable; and he should be so regarded that no one ever dreams of trying to deceive or trick him.

The innovator has for enemies all who have done well under the old, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new.

Benefits should be conferred gradually; and in that way they will taste better.

Because just as good morals, if they are to be maintained, have need of the laws, so the laws, if they are to be observed, have need of good morals.

There is nothing that Nature seems to have inclined us to as much as society.

For one change always leaves a dovetail into which another will fit.

...people are by nature fickle, and it is easy to persuade them of something, but difficult to keep them persuaded.

...it behooves us to adapt oneself to the times if one wants to enjoy continued good fortune.

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.

For the mob is always impressed by appearances and by results, and the world is composed of the mob.

All the armed prophets conquered; all the unarmed ones perished.

I hope and hoping feeds my pain I weep and weeping feeds my failing heart I laugh but the laughter does not pass within I burn but the burning makes no mark outside.

The princes who have done great things are the ones who have taken little account of their promises.

The greatest remedy that is used against a plan of the enemy is to do voluntarily what he plans that you do by force.

Occasionally words must serve to veil the facts. But let this happen in such a way that no one become aware of it; or, if it should be noticed, excuses must be at hand to be produced immediately.

Nothing is of greater importance in time of war than in knowing how to make the best use of a fair opportunity when it is offered.

For without invention, no one was ever a great man in his own trade.

....nothing is so unhealthy or unstable as the reputation for power that is not based on one's own power.

We cannot attribute to fortune or virtue that which is achieved without either.

....those who become princes through their skill acquire the pricipality with difficulty, buy they hold onto it with ease.

War should be the only study of a prince. He should consider peace only as a breathing-time, which gives him leisure to contrive, and furnishes as ability to execute, military plans.

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.

In conclusion, the arms of others either fall from your back, or they weigh you down, or they bind you fast.

Wisdom consists of knowing how to distinguish the nature of trouble, and in choosing the lesser evil.

For this is the tragedy of man circumstances change, but he does not.

Hence it comes that all armed Prophets have been victorious, and all unarmed Prophets have been destroyed.

So far as he is able, a prince should stick to the path of good but, if the necessity arises, he should know how to follow evil.

Severities should be dealt out all at once, so that their suddenness may give less offense; benefits ought to be handed ought drop by drop, so that they may be relished the more.

Forgiveness proceeds from a generous soul.

Men as a whole judge more with their eyes than with their hands.

Men ought either to be well treated, or crushed.

We have not seen great things done in our time except by those who have been considered mean; the rest have failed.

Hence it happened that all the armed prophets conquered, all the unarmed perished. [It., Di qui nacque che tutti li profeti armati vincero, e li disarmati rovinarono.]

Since it is difficult to join them together, it is safer to be feared than to be loved when one of the two must be lacking.

Human beings remain constant in their methods of conduct.

War brings out thieves and peace hangs them.

It is much safer for the prince to be feared than loved, but he ought to avoid making himself hated.

Good order and discipline in any army are to be depended upon more than courage alone.

Cruelties should be committed all at once.

....it cannot be called ingenuity to kill one's fellow citizens, to betray friends, to be without faith, without mercy, without religion; by these means one can aquire power but not glory.

There are three kinds of brains: One understands of itself, another can be taught to understand, and the third can neither understand to itself or be taught to understand.

Men are more ready to offend one who desires to be beloved than one who wishes to be feared.