“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.”
Men
“War should be the only study of a prince. He should consider peace only as a breathing-time, which gives him leisure to contrive, and furnishes as ability to execute, military plans.”
PeaceAll Quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli
“The wish to acquire more is admittedly a very natural and common thing and when men succeed in this they are always praised rather than condemned. But when they lack the ability to do so and yet want to acquire more at all costs, they deserve condemnation for their mistakes.”
Men“There is no avoiding war it can only be postponed to the advantage of others.”
War“Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions.”
Men“There is no surer sign of decay in a country than to see the rites of religion held in contempt.”
Religion“There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.”
Success“Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.”
Change“Men rise from one ambition to another: first, they seek to secure themselves against attack, and then they attack others.”
Men“Whoever conquers a free town and does not demolish it commits a great error and may expect to be ruined himself.”
Great“Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries - for heavy ones they cannot.”
Men“One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others.”
Change“Men ought either to be indulged or utterly destroyed, for if you merely offend them they take vengeance, but if you injure them greatly they are unable to retaliate, so that the injury done to a man ought to be such that vengeance cannot be feared.”
Men“War should be the only study of a prince. He should consider peace only as a breathing-time, which gives him leisure to contrive, and furnishes as ability to execute, military plans.”
Peace“Princes and governments are far more dangerous than other elements within society.”
Society“War is just when it is necessary arms are permissible when there is no hope except in arms.”
Hope“There are three kinds of intelligence: one kind understands things for itself, the other appreciates what others can understand, the third understands neither for itself nor through others. This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless.”
Good“A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests.”
Faith“Men are so simple and yield so readily to the desires of the moment that he who will trick will always find another who will suffer to be tricked.”
Men“Hatred is gained as much by good works as by evil.”
Good“Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear.”
Fear