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Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes - Page 9

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For, in truth, there is no sure way of holding other than by destroying

For, in truth, there is no sure way of holding other than by destroying

Niccolo Machiavelli
Way, Destroying
Niccolo Machiavelli, Thomas Moore (2010). “Machiavelli, More & Luther”, p.19, Cosimo, Inc.

Wise men say, and not without reason, that whosoever wished to foresee the future might consult the past.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Wise, Past, Men

Men in general judge more by the sense of sight than by the sense of touch, because everyone can see but few can test by feeling. Everyone sees what you seem to be, few know what you really are; and those few do not dare take a stand against the general opinion.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Men, Sight, Judging

Although deceit is detestable in all other things, yet in the conduct of war it is laudable and honorable; and a commander who vanquishes an enemy by stratagem is equally praised with one who gains victory by force.

Niccolo Machiavelli
War, Enemy, Victory
Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.216, Knickerbocker Classics

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.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Greatness, Men, Doe
Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.18, Race Point Publishing

Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Love, Philosophical, Men

In the same manner, having been reduced by disorder, and sunk to their utmost state of depression, unable to descend lower, they, of necessity, reascend; and thus from good they gradually decline to evil, and from evil again return to good. The reason is, that valor produces peace; peace, repose; repose, disorder; disorder, ruin; so from disorder order springs; from order virtue, and from this, glory and good fortune.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, Spring, War
"Florentine Histories" by Niccolò Machiavelli, book V, chapter 1, 1526.

When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Confidence, Gun, People

We have not seen great things done in our time except by those who have been considered mean; the rest have failed.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Mean, Done, Great Things
Niccolo Machiavelli (2015). “The Prince”, p.71, Xist Publishing

Men are always averse to enterprises in which they foresee difficulties.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Ignorance, Men, Difficulty
Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.34, Race Point Publishing

To know well the nature of the people one must be a prince, and to know well the nature of princes one must be of the people.

Niccolo Machiavelli
People, Literature
"The Portable Machiavelli".

The princes who have done great things are the ones who have taken little account of their promises.

Niccolo Machiavelli
War, Taken, Promise

A son can bear with equanimity the loss of his father, but the loss of his inheritance may drive him to despair.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Father, Son, Loss

For without invention, no one was ever a great man in his own trade.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Men, Great Men, Invention

And when he is obliged to take the life of any one, to do so when there is a proper justification and manifest reason for it; but above all he must abstain from taking the property of others, for men forget more easily the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, Father, War
Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.53, Race Point Publishing

it is much safer to be feared than loved because ...love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Opportunity, Love Is, Men
Niccolo Machiavelli (2010). “The Prince”, p.68, FastPencil Inc

God creates men, but they choose each other.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Men, Community

Therefore the best fortress is to be found in the love of the people, for although you may have fortresses they will not save you if you are hated by the people.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Love, Hate, People
Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.69, Race Point Publishing

A prince who is not himself wise cannot be wisely advised. . . . Good advice depends on the shrewdness of the prince who seeks it, and not the shrewdness of the prince on good advice.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Wise, Advice, Shrewdness

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.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Brain, Three, Kind
Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.73, Race Point Publishing

He who is the cause of another's advancement is thereby the cause of his own ruin.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Advancement, Waste, Ruins

As the observance of divine institutions is the cause of the greatness of republics, so the disregard of them produces their ruin; for where the fear of God is wanting, there the country will come to ruin, unless it be sustained the fear of the prince, which temporarily supply the want of religion.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Country, Greatness, Republic

For government consists in nothing else but so controlling subjects that they shall neither be able to, nor have cause to do [it] harm.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Government, Able, Causes

They have not any difficulties on the way up because they fly, but they have many when they reach the summit.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Achievement, Way, Difficulty
Niccolo Machiavelli (2015). “The Prince”, p.38, Xist Publishing

A blast in the human breast is nothing to boast of.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Blast, Breasts, Boast

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