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.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLIIf an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.
More Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes
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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.
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Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.
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I’m not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it.
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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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So that the injury done to a man ought to be such that vengeance cannot be feared.
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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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A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise.
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It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.
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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.
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Since it is difficult to join them together, it is safer to be feared than to be loved when one of the two must be lacking.
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Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.
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There is no surer sign of decay in a country than to see the rites of religion held in contempt.
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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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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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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.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI