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 MACHIAVELLIMen 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.
More Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes
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Before all else, be armed.
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Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.
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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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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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It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.
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One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others.
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Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries – for heavy ones they cannot.
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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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Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear.
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The distinction between children and adults, while probably useful for some purposes, is at bottom a specious one, I feel. There are only individual egos, crazy for love.
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One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived.
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Of mankind we may say in general they are fickle, hypocritical, and greedy of gain.
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He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command.
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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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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.
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI