Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes, Art Quotes, War Quotes

Many have imagined republics and principalities which have never been seen or known to exist in reality; for how we live is so far removed from how we ought to live, that he who abandons what is done for what ought to be done, will rather bring about his own ruin than his preservation.

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A son could bear with great complacency, the death of his father, while the loss of his inheritance might drive him to despair.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Father Quotes , Loss Quotes

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.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Giving Quotes , Political Quotes

That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; for, provided it is well known that he is an excellent man and revered by his people, he can only be attacked with difficulty.

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It is necessary that the prince should know how to color his nature well, and how to be a hypocrite and dissembler. For men are so simple, and yield so much to immediate necessity, that the deceiver will never lack dupes.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Hypocrite Quotes , Simple 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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Few men are brave by nature, but good discipline and experience make many so.

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Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Men Quotes , Decide Upon Quotes

The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Life Quotes , Positive 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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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Art Quotes , War Quotes

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

He who becomes a Prince through the favour of the people should always keep on good terms with them; which it is easy for him to do, since all they ask is not to be oppressed

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , People Quotes , Favour Quotes

Delusion gives you more happiness than truth gives to me. For 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.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Giving Quotes , Done Quotes

So in all human affairs one notices, if one examines them closely, that it is impossible to remove one inconvenience without another emerging.

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There is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage than the creation of a new order of things..... Whenever his enemies have occasion to attack the innovator they do so with the passion of partisans, while the others defend him sluggishly so that the innovator and his party alike are vulnerable.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Leadership Quotes , Party Quotes

One arises from a low to a high station more often by using fraud instead of force.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Arise Quotes , Lows Quotes

He who blinded by ambition, raises himself to a position whence he cannot mount higher, must thereafter fall with the greatest loss.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Fall Quotes , Ambition Quotes

How laudable it is for a prince to keep good faith and live with integrity, and not with astuteness, every one knows. Still the experience of our times shows those princes to have done great things who have had little regard for good faith, and have been able by astuteness to confuse men's brains, and who have ultimately overcome those who have made loyalty their foundation.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Loyalty Quotes , Art Quotes

When you disarm your subjects, however, you offend them by showing that either from cowardliness or lack of faith, you distrust them; and either conclusion will induce them to hate you.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Hate Quotes , Distrust Quotes

I don't doubt that every prince would like to be both; but since it is hard to accomodate these qualities, if you have to make a choice, to be feared is much safer than to be loved. For it is a good general rule about men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, fearful of danger and greedy for gain....[love] is a link of obligation which men, because they are rotten, will break anything they think doing so serves their advantage; but fear involves dread of punishment, from which they can never escape.

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