Before all else, be armed.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLIWar is just when it is necessary; arms are permissible when there is no hope except in arms.
More Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes
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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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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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One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived.
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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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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.
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A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man.
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God is not willing to do everything, and thus take away our free will and that share of glory which belongs to us.
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One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others.
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To understand the nature of the people one must be a prince, and to understand the nature of the prince, one must be of the people.
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This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless.
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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.
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He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command.
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Never was anything great achieved without danger.
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It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.
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Benefits should be conferred gradually; and in that way they will taste better.
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Severities should be dealt out all at once, so that their suddenness may give less offense.
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Princes and governments are far more dangerous than other elements within society.
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Of mankind we may say in general they are fickle, hypocritical, and greedy of gain.
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A son can bear with equanimity the loss of his father, but the loss of his inheritance may drive him to despair.
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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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Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.
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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.
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Men rise from one ambition to another: first, they seek to secure themselves against attack, and then they attack others.
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Hence it comes about that all armed Prophets have been victorious, and all unarmed Prophets have been destroyed.
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We cannot attribute to fortune or virtue that which is achieved without either.
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I’m not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI