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Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes about War

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Before all else, be armed.

Before all else, be armed.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Peace, War, Philosophical

If you only notice human proceedings, you may observe that all who attain great power and riches, make use of either force or fraud; and what they have acquired either by deceit or violence, in order to conceal the disgraceful methods of attainment, they endeavor to sanctify with the false title of honest gains.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, War, Order
Niccolo Machiavelli (2018). “History of Florence and the Affairs of Italy”, p.115, Ozymandias Press

Wars begin when you will, but they do not end when you please.

Niccolo Machiavelli
War, Ends, Please
"Florentine Histories" by Niccolò Machiavelli, 1526.

There is nothing as likely to succeed as what the enemy believes you cannot attempt.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, War, Believe

A battle that you win cancels all your mistakes.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Peace, War, Mistake

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.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, War, Fighting
Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.55, Knickerbocker Classics

He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Crazy, War, Wish
Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.169, Race Point Publishing

No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Business, War, Philosophical
"The Art of War" by Niccolo Machiavelli, Book 7, as translated by Neal Wood (1965), 1520.

A battle that you win cancels any other bad action of yours. In the same way, by losing one, all the good things worked by you before become vain.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, War, Winning

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

Niccolo Machiavelli
Peace, Military, War
"The Prince". Book by Niccolò Machiavelli, 1513.

A prince... must learn from the fox and the lion... One must be a fox in order to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten off wolves. Those who act simply as lions are stupid. So it follows that a prudent ruler cannot, and must not, honour his word when it places him at a disadvantage and when the reasons for which he made his promise no longer exist.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, War, Stupid

Few men are brave by nature, but good discipline and experience make many so.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, War, Men
"The Art of War". Book by Niccolò Machiavelli, as translated by Neal Wood (1965), 1520.

Though fraud in all other actions be odious, yet in matters of war it is laudable and glorious, and he who overcomes his enemies by stratagem is as much to be praised as he who overcomes them by force.

Niccolo Machiavelli
War, Enemy, Overcoming

There is simply no comparison between a man who is armed and one who is not. It is simply unreasonable to expect that an armed man should obey one who is unarmed, or that an unarmed man should remain safe and secure when his servants are armed.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, War, Men

In war, discipline can do more than fury.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, War, Discipline

Knowing how to fight made men more bold, because no one fears doing what it seems to him he has learned to do. Therefore, the ancients wanted their citizens to be trained in every warlike action.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, War, Fighting

Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Peace, War, Quality
Niccolo Machiavelli (2010). “The Prince”, p.73, FastPencil Inc

Among other evils which being unarmed brings you, it causes you to be despised.

Niccolo Machiavelli
War, Gun, Evil
Niccolo Machiavelli (2015). “The Prince”, p.66, Xist Publishing

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

Niccolo Machiavelli
War, Thieves, Vicious

The greatest remedy that is used against a plan of the enemy is to do voluntarily what he plans that you do by force.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, War, Enemy

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.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, War, Majesty
Niccolo Machiavelli (2010). “The Prince”, p.73, FastPencil Inc

Princes should delegate to others the enactment of unpopular measures and keep in their own hands the means of winning favours.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, War, Mean

The people resemble a wild beast, which, naturally fierce and accustomed to live in the woods, has been brought up, as it were, in a prison and in servitude, and having by accident got its liberty, not being accustomed to search for its food, and not knowing where to conceal itself, easily becomes the prey of the first who seeks to incarcerate it again.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, War, Knowing
"Discourses on Livy" by Niccolò Machiavelli, book 1, ch. 16, 1517.

A prudent man... must behave like those archers who, if they are skillful, when the target seems too distant, know the capabilities of their bow and aim a good deal higher than their objective, not in order to shoot so high but so that by aiming high they can reach the target.

Niccolo Machiavelli
Art, War, Archer

To ensure victory the troops must have confidence in themselves as well as in their commanders.

Niccolo Machiavelli
War, Victory, Troops

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