SaturdayMay 23, 2026
Quotes: 53419 Authors: 9969
I desire to go to Hell, not to Heaven. In Hell I shall enjoy the company of popes, kings and princes, but in Heaven are only beggars, monks, hermits and apostles.
Hatred is gained as much by good works as by evil.
A prince should therefore have no other aim or thought, nor take up any other thing for his study, but war and its organization and discipline, for that is the only art that is necessary to one who commands.
The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms; and as there cannot be good laws where the state is not well armed, it follows that where they are well armed they have good laws.
From this arises the question Whether it is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved. It might perhaps be answered that we should wish to be both: but since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved.
There are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends by itself nor by the showing of others; the first is the most excellent, the second is good, the third is useless.
Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.
A man who wants to act virtuously in every way comes to grief among so many who are not virtuous.
The prince who relies upon their words, without having otherwise provided for his security, is ruined; for friendships that are won by awards, and not by greatness and nobility of soul, although deserved, yet are not real, and cannot be depended upon in time of adversity.
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.
Hence it comes about that all armed Prophets have been victorious, and all unarmed Prophets have been destroyed.
When neither their property nor their honor is touched, the majority of men live content.
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.
There is no other way of guarding oneself against flattery than by letting men understand that they will not offend you by speaking the truth; but when everyone can tell you the truth, you lose their respect.
Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality. All men have eyes, but few have the gift of penetration.
If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.
A prince being thus obliged to know well how to act as a beast must imitate the fox and the lion, for the lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.
We cannot attribute to fortune or virtue that which [is] achieved without either.
God is not willing to do everything, and thus take away our free will and that share of glory which belongs to us.
The end justifies the means.
Man 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 himself to be tricked.
There is no surer sign of decay in a country than to see the rites of religion held in contempt.
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.
The prince must be a lion, but he must also know how to play the fox.
Whoever desires to found a state and give it laws, must start with assuming that all men are bad and ever ready to display their vicious nature, whenever they may find occasion for it.
He who owes least to fortune is in the strongest position.
Ambition is so powerful a passion in the human breast that however high we reach we are never satisfied.
Severities should be dealt out all at once, that by their suddenness they may give less offense; Benefits should be handed out drop by drop, that they may be relished the more.
Prudence consists in the power to recognize the nature of disadvantages and to take the less disagreeable as good.
A son can bear with equanimity the loss of his father, But the loss of his inheritance may drive him to despair.
As laws are necessary that good manners may be preserved, so there is need of good manners that laws may be maintained.
Before all else, be armed.
He who makes another powerful ruins himself, for he makes the other so either by shrewdness or force, and both of these qualities are feared by the one who becomes powerful.
Hence it happened that all the armed prophets conquered, All the unarmed perished.
It is often found that modesty and humility not only do no good, but are positively hurtful, when they are shown to the arrogant who have taken up a prejudice against you, either from envy or from any other cause.
One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived.
Fortune is a woman, and therefore friendly to the young, who command her with audacity.
Politics have no relation to morals.
Fortune is a woman, and therefore friendly to the young, who with audacity command her.
No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution.
It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.
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