Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes - Page 15

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When they remain in garrison, soldiers are maintained with fear and punishment; when they are then led to war, with hope and reward.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Art, War, Punishment

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as the physicians say it happens in hectic fever, that in the beginning of the malady it is easy to cure but difficult to detect, but in the course of time, not having been either detected or treated in the beginning, it becomes easy to detect but difficult to cure

Niccolo Machiavelli

Physicians, Fever, Easy

Niccolo Machiavelli (2010). “The Prince”, p.9, FastPencil Inc

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Present wars impoverish the lords that win as much as those that lose.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Art, War, Winning

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Without doubt, ferocious and disordered men are much weaker than timid and ordered ones. For order chases fear from men and disorder lessens ferocity.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Art, War, Men

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....those who become princes through their skill acquire the pricipality with difficulty, buy they hold onto it with ease.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Skills, Ease, Politics

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...it behooves us to adapt oneself to the times if one wants to enjoy continued good fortune.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Life, Want, Fortune

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And truly it is a very natural and ordinary thing to desire to acquire, and always, when men do it who can, they will be praised or not blamed; but when they cannot, and wish to do it anyway, here lies the error and the blame.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Lying, Men, Errors

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(A ruler) cannot and should not keep his word when to do so would go against his interests or when the reason he pledged it no longer holds.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Reason, Should, Interest

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It is the duty of a man of honor to teach others the good which he has not been able to do himself because of the malignity of the times, that this good finally can be done by another more loved in heaven.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Men, Heaven, Honor

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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)

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Sometimes it has been of great moment while the fight is going on, to disseminate words that pronounce the enemies' captain to be dead, or to have been conquered by another part of the army. Many times this has given victory to him who used it.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Art, War, Fighting

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There is nothing that Nature seems to have inclined us to as much as society.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Society, Seems

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...people are by nature fickle, and it is easy to persuade them of something, but difficult to keep them persuaded.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Nature, People, Fickle

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...it is a base thing to look to others for your defense instead of depending upon yourself. That defense alone is effectual, sure, and durable which depends upon yourself and your own valor.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Defense, Looks, Valor

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Men may second fortune, but they cannot thwart her.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Men, May, Fortune

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The Swiss are well armed and enjoy great freedom.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Swiss, Enjoy, Wells

Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.40, Race Point Publishing

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But in Republics there is a stronger vitality, a fiercer hatred, a keener thirst for revenge. The memory of their former freedom will not let them rest; so that the safest course is either to destroy them, or to go and live in them.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Memories, Revenge, Hatred

Niccolo Machiavelli, Thomas Moore (2010). “Machiavelli, More & Luther”, p.19, Cosimo, Inc.

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For it must be noted, that men must either be caressed or else annihilated; they will revenge themselves for small injuries, but cannot do so for great ones; the injury therefore that we do to a man must be such that we need not fear his vengeance.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Revenge, Men, Needs

Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.9, Knickerbocker Classics

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Nature that framed us of four elements, warring within our breasts for regiment, doth teach us all to have aspiring minds.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Nature, Teaching, Ambition

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If someone puts up the argument that King Louis gave the Romagna to Pope Alexander, and the kingdom of Naples to Spain, in order to avoid a war, I would answer as I did before: that you should never let things get out of hand in order to avoid war. You don't avoid such a war, you merely postpone it, to your own disadvantage.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Art, Kings, War

"The Prince". Book by Niccolò Machiavelli, ch. 3, as translated by RM Adams, 1513.

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Since the handling of arms is a beautiful spectacle, it is delightful to young men.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Beautiful, Art, War

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Still, a prince should make himself feared in such a way that if he does not gain love, he at any rate avoids hatred; for fear and the absence of hatred may well go together, and will be always attained by one who abstains from interfering with the property of his citizens and subjects or with their women.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Art, War, Hatred

"The Prince". Book by Niccolò Machiavelli, ch. 17, 1513.

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For one change always leaves a dovetail into which another will fit.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Fit

Niccolo Machiavelli, Sir Thomas More, Sir (2010). “Machiavelli, More & Luther”, p.8, Cosimo, Inc.

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All who contribute to the overthrow of religion, or to the ruin of kingdoms and commonwealths, all who are foes to letters and to the arts which confer honour and benefit on the human race (among whom I reckon the impious, the cruel, the ignorant, the indolent, the base and the worthless), are held in infamy and detestation.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Art, Race, Ignorant

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Only those means of security are good, are certain, are lasting, that depend on yourself and your own vigor.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Mean, Vigor, Certain

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Born: May 3, 1469
Died: June 21, 1527
Occupation: Historian
Cite this Page: Citation

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