Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes
Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.
It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles.
It may at times be the highest wisdom to simulate folly.
How easily men may be corrupted.
He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command.
The wise man does at once what the fool does finally.
Occasionally words must serve to veil the facts.
The faults of the people spring from the faults of their rulers.
Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.
Men are driven by two principal impulses, either by love or by fear.
One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.
There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others.
Wisdom consists in being able to distinguish among dangers and make a choice of the least harmful.
War is just when it is necessary; arms are permissible when there is no hope except in arms.
No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution.
How often the judgments of men in important matters are erroneous.
Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.
The people as a body are courageous, but individually they are cowardly and feeble.
One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived.
He who neglects what is done for what ought to be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation.
The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.
When neither their property nor their honor is touched, the majority of men live content.
Hence it comes about that all armed Prophets have been victorious, and all unarmed Prophets have been destroyed.
Never do any enemy a small injury for they are like a snake which is half beaten and it will strike back the first chance it gets.
There is no other way to guard yourself against flattery than by making men understand that telling you the truth will not offend you.
So in all human affairs one notices, if one examines them closely, that it is impossible to remove one inconvenience without another emerging.
Few men are brave by nature, but good order and experience make many so. Good order and discipline in many army are to be depended upon than courage alone.
Like all other things of nature that are born and grow fast, cannot have their roots and connections, so that the first adverse circumstances extinguish them...
There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.
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.
