Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes, Inspirational Quotes, Change Quotes

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.

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Men are able to assist fortune but not to thwart her. They can weave her designs, but they cannot destroy them.

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I say that every prince must desire to be considered merciful and not cruel. He must, however, take care not to misuse this mercifulness.

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

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Life Quotes , Want Quotes

Many have dreamed up republics and principalities that have never in truth been known to exist; the gulf between how one should live and how one does live is so wide that a man who neglects what is actually done for what should be done learns the way to self-destruction rather than self-preservation.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Men Quotes , Self Quotes

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

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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.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , People Quotes , Brave Quotes

Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends by itself nor by the showing of others; the first is the most excellent, the second is good, the third is useless.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Class Quotes , Appreciate Quotes

For a long time I have not said what I believed, nor do I ever believe what I say, and if indeed sometimes I do happen to tell the truth, I hide it among so many lies that it is hard to find.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Lying Quotes , Believe Quotes

Besides what has been said, people are fickle by nature; and it is a simple to convince them of something but difficult to hold them in that conviction; and, therefore, affairs should be managed in such a way that when they no longer believe, they can be made to believe by force.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Believe Quotes , Simple Quotes

A prudent man should always follow in the path trodden by great men and imitate those who are most excellent, so that if he does not attain to their greatness, at any rate he will get some tinge of it.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Greatness Quotes , Men Quotes

Women are the most charitable creatures, and the most troublesome. He who shuns women passes up the trouble, but also the benefits. He who puts up with them gains the benefits, but also the trouble. As the saying goes, there's no honey without bees.

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The forces of adversaries are more diminished by the loss of those who flee than of those who are killed.

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Some princes, so as to hold securely the state, have disarmed their subjects, others have kept their subject towns distracted by factions...Our forefathers, and those who were reckoned wise, were accustomed to say that it was necessary to hold Pistoia [an Italian city] by factions and Pisa by fortress, and with this idea they fostered quarrels in some of their tributary towns so as to keep possession of them the more easily.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Wise Quotes , Italian Quotes

In order not to annul our free will, I judge it true that Fortune may be mistress of one half our actions but then even she leaves the other half, or almost, under our control.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Order Quotes , Judging Quotes

To keep your actions and your plans secret always has been a very good thing . .. Marcus Crassus said to one who asked him when he was going to move the army: 'Do you believe that you will be the only one not to hear the trumpet?

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Believe Quotes , Moving Quotes

Men are of three different capacities: one understands intuitively; another understands so far as it is explained; and a third understands neither of himself nor by explanation. The first is excellent, the second, commendable, and the third, altogether useless.

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When neither their property nor their honor is touched, the majority of men live content.

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If the present be compared with the remote past, it is easily seen that in all cities and in all peoples there are the same desires and the same passions as there always were.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Passion Quotes , Past Quotes