Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes About Virtue

Quotes about: Virtue

• A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Simple, Men, Good Man

  Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.99, Race Point Publishing

• In the same manner, having been reduced by disorder, and sunk to their utmost state of depression, unable to descend lower, they, of necessity, reascend; and thus from good they gradually decline to evil, and from evil again return to good. The reason is, that valor produces peace; peace, repose; repose, disorder; disorder, ruin; so from disorder order springs; from order virtue, and from this, glory and good fortune.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, Spring, War

  "Florentine Histories" by Niccolò Machiavelli, book V, chapter 1, 1526.

• A prince must be prudent enough to know how to escape the bad reputation of those vices that would lose the state for him, and must protect himself from those that will not lose it for him, if this is possible; but if he cannot, he need not concern himself unduly if he ignores these less serious vices.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Vices, Needs, Prudent

  Niccolo Machiavelli (1979). “The Portable Machiavelli”, p.90, Penguin

• A prince must not have any objective nor any thought, nor take up any art, other than the art of war and its ordering and discipline; because it is the only art that pertains to him who commands. And it is of such virtue that not only does it maintain those who were born princes, but many times makes men rise to that rank from private station.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, War, Men

  The Prince ch. 14 (1532) (translation by Angelo M. Codevilla)

• We cannot attribute to fortune or virtue that which is achieved without either.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Philosophical, Umpires, Literature

  Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.28, Knickerbocker Classics

• If the chief party, whether it be the people, or the army, or the nobility, which you think most useful and of most consequence to you for the conservation of your dignity, be corrupt, you must follow their humor and indulge them, and in that case honesty and virtue are pernicious.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Honesty, Party, Army

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