Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes.
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.
Benefits should be conferred gradually; and in that way they will taste better.
Of mankind we may say in general they are fickle, hypocritical, and greedy of gain.
Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions.
The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.
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.
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.
Wars begin when you will, but they do not end when you please.
A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example.
A government which does not trust its citizens to be armed is not itself to be trusted.
Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.
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.
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.
Never was anything great achieved without danger.
I’m not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it.
It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver.
A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests.
