The fact is that a man who wants to act virtuously in every way necessarily comes to grief among so many who are not virtuous.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLIA wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests.
More Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes
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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.
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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.
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The main foundations of every state, new states as well as ancient or composite ones, are good laws and good arms you cannot have good laws without good arms, and where there are good arms, good laws inevitably follow.
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Before all else, be armed.
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The new ruler must determine all the injuries that he will need to inflict. He must inflict them once and for all.
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He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command.
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Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.
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Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear.
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Whoever conquers a free town and does not demolish it commits a great error and may expect to be ruined himself.
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Severities should be dealt out all at once, so that their suddenness may give less offense.
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It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles.
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This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless.
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Nature that framed us of four elements, warring within our breasts for regiment, doth teach us all to have aspiring minds.
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For among other evils caused by being disarmed, it renders you contemptible; which is one of those disgraceful things which a prince must guard against.
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The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI