Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes, Strength Quotes, Wise Quotes

A wise man ought always to follow the paths beaten by great men, and to imitate those who have been supreme, so that if his ability does not equal theirs, at least it will savor of it. Let him act like the clever archers who, designing to hit the mark which yet appears too far distant, and knowing the limits to which the strength of their bow attains, take aim much higher than the mark, not to reach by their strength or arrow to so great a height, but to be able with the aid of so high an aim to hit the mark they wish to reach.

3 years ago

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Strength Quotes , Wise Quotes

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.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Men Quotes , Law Quotes

I hold strongly to this: that it is better to be impetuous than circumspect; because fortune is a woman and if she is to be submissive it is necessary to beat and coerce her.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Submissive Quotes , Beats Quotes

For a prince should have two fears: one, internal concerning his subjects; the other, external, concerning foreign powers. From the latter he can always defend himself by his good troops and friends; and he will always have good friends if he has good troops.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Good Friend Quotes , Should Have Quotes

The answer is, of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Two Quotes , Together 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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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Inspirational Quotes , Change Quotes

There are three kinds of brains. The one understands things unassisted, the other understands things when shown by others, the third understands neither alone nor with the explanations of others.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Brain Quotes , Three Quotes

And here one must not that hatred is acquired just as much by means of good actions as by bad ones; and so, as I said above, if a prince wishes to maintain the state, he is often obliged not to be good; because whenever that group which you believe you need to support you is corrupted, whether it be the common people, the soldiers, or the nobles, it is to your advantage to follow their inclinations in order to satisfy them; and then good actions are your enemy.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Believe Quotes , Mean Quotes

I'm not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Philosophical Quotes , Challenging The Status Quo Quotes

He who has once begun to live by rapine always finds reasons for taking what is not his.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Reason Quotes

Men may second fortune, but they cannot thwart her.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Men Quotes , May Quotes

There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Peace Quotes , Military Quotes

Since the handling of arms is a beautiful spectacle, it is delightful to young men.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Beautiful Quotes , Art Quotes

In our own days we have seen no princes accomplish great results save those who have been accounted miserly.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Results Quotes , Accomplish Quotes

Men are less hesitant about harming someone who makes himself loved than one who makes himself feared because love is held together by a chain of obligation which, since men are wretched creatures, is broken on every occasion in which their own interests are concerned; but fear is sustained by dread of punishment which will never abandon you.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Love Is Quotes , Men Quotes

Is it better to be loved or feared?

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

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.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Art Quotes , War Quotes

The Swiss are well armed and enjoy great freedom.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Swiss Quotes , Enjoy Quotes

Before all else, be armed.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Peace Quotes , War Quotes

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.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Art Quotes , War Quotes