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.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLIWhoever conquers a free town and does not demolish it commits a great error and may expect to be ruined himself.
More Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes
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A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests.
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Princes and governments are far more dangerous than other elements within society.
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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 fact is that a man who wants to act virtuously in every way necessarily comes to grief among so many who are not virtuous.
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There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others.
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Never was anything great achieved without danger.
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Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear.
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No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution.
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Severities should be dealt out all at once, so that their suddenness may give less offense.
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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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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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It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.
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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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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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Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI