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  • Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes   389
  • If someone puts up the argument that King Louis gave the Romagna to Pope Alexander, and the kingdom of Naples to Spain, in order to avoid a war, I would answer as I did before: that you should never let things get out of hand in order to avoid war. You don't avoid such a war, you merely postpone it, to your own disadvantage.
  • 5 years ago



    Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Art Quotes , Kings 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.
  • 5 years ago



    Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Men Quotes , Useless Quotes
  • And what physicians say about disease is applicable here: that at the beginning a disease is easy to cure but difficult to diagnose; but as time passes, not having been recognized or treated at the outset, it becomes easy to diagnose but difficult to cure. The same thing occurs in affairs of state; for by recognizing from afar the diseases that are spreading in the state (which is a gift given only to the prudent ruler), they can be cured quickly; but when, not having been recognized, they are not recognized and are left to grow to the extent that everyone recognizes them, there is no longer any cure.
  • 5 years ago



    Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Physicians Quotes , Disease Quotes
  • Well used are those cruelties (if it is permitted to speak well of evil) that are carried out in a single stroke, done out of necessity to protect oneself, and are not continued but are instead converted into the greatest possible benefits for the subjects. Badly used are those cruelties which. although being few at the outset, grow with the passing time instead of disappearing. Those who follow the first method can remedy their condition with God and with men; the others cannot possibly survive.
  • 5 years ago



    Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Men Quotes , Evil 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.
  • 5 years ago



    Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Believe Quotes , Simple Quotes