Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes, Wise Quotes, Italian Quotes

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

One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Liars Quotes , Lying Quotes

You know better than I that in a Republic talent is always suspect. A man attains an elevated position only when his mediocrity prevents him from being a threat to others. And for this reason a democracy is never governed by the most competent, but rather by those whose insignificance will not jeopardize anyone else's self-esteem.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Self Esteem Quotes , Men Quotes

Thus it is well to seem merciful, faithful, humane, sincere, religious, and also to be so; but you must have the mind so disposed that when it is needful to be otherwise you may be able to change to the opposite qualities.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Religious Quotes , Character Quotes

And the prince who has relied solely on their words, without making other preparations, is ruined, for the friendship which is gained by purchase and not through grandeur and nobility of spirit is merited but is not secured, and at times is not to be had.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Art Quotes , War Quotes

A prince must not have any other object nor any other thought… but war, its institutions, and its discipline; because that is the only art befitting one who commands.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Art Quotes , War Quotes

It is necessary for him who lays out a state and arranges laws for it to presuppose that all men are evil and that they are always going to act according to the wickedness of their spirits whenever they have free scope.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Men Quotes , Law Quotes

The one who adapts his policy to the times prospers, and likewise that the one whose policy clashes with the demands of the times does not.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Business Quotes , Doe Quotes

For one change always leaves a dovetail into which another will fit.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

Men ought either to be well treated or crushed, because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries, of more serious ones they cannot; therefore the injury that is to be done to a man ought to be of such a kind that one does not stand in fear of revenge.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Revenge Quotes , Men Quotes

It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Philosophical Quotes , Men Quotes

Nevertheless, he must be cautious in believing and acting, and must not inspire fear of his own accord, and must proceed in a temperate manner with prudence and humanity, so that too much confidence does not render him incautious, and too much diffidence does not render him intolerant. From this arises the question whether it is better to be loved more than feared, or feared more than loved.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Art Quotes , War Quotes

He who makes war his profession cannot be otherwise than vicious. War makes thieves, and peace brings them to the gallows.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , War Quotes , Thieves 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

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

One never finds anything perfectly pure and ... exempt from danger.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Danger 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

Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Motivational Quotes , Philosophical Quotes

When every province of the world so teems with inhabitants that they can neither subsist where they are nor remove themselves elsewhere.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Population Quotes , Three Quotes

A prince must not have any objective nor any thought, nor take up any art, other than the art of war and its ordering and discipline; because it is the only art that pertains to him who commands. And it is of such virtue that not only does it maintain those who were born princes, but many times makes men rise to that rank from private station.

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Tags : Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes , Art Quotes , War Quotes