Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes - Page 3

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It should be borne in mind that there is nothing more difficult to arrange, more doubtful of success, and more dangerous to carry through than initiating changes. The innovator makes enemies of all those who prospered under the old order, and only lukewarm support is forthcoming from those who would prosper under the new. Their support is lukewarm ... partly because men are generally incredulous, never really trusting new things unless they have tested them by experience.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Change, Men, Order

"The Prince". Book by Niccolo Machiavelli, www.theguardian.com. 1532.

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Men are of three different capacities: one understands intuitively; another understands so far as it is explained; and a third understands neither of himself nor by explanation. The first is excellent, the second, commendable, and the third, altogether useless.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Men, Useless, Firsts

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No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Business, War, Philosophical

"The Art of War" by Niccolo Machiavelli, Book 7, as translated by Neal Wood (1965), 1520.

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The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Past, Keeping Promises, Broken

"At 500, Machiavelli's 'Prince' Still Inspires Love And Fear" by Sylvia Poggioli, www.npr.org. May 27, 2013.

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I'm not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Philosophical, Challenging The Status Quo, Want

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Men are so simple of mind, and so much dominated by their immediate needs, that a deceitful man will always find plenty who are ready to be deceived.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Simple, Men, Political

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Ability and perseverance are the weapons of weakness.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Perseverance, Weakness, Weapons

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He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Crazy, War, Wish

Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.169, Race Point Publishing

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Hatred is gained as much by good works as by evil.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Hate, Philosophical, Evil

Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.61, Race Point Publishing

36 Copy quote
How perilous it is to free a people who prefer slavery.

Niccolo Machiavelli

People, Slavery

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For a long time I have not said what I believed, nor do I ever believe what I say, and if indeed sometimes I do happen to tell the truth, I hide it among so many lies that it is hard to find.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Lying, Believe, Long

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Impetuosity and audacity often achieve what ordinary means fail to achieve.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Mean, Ordinary, Audacity

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Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas in antiquity.

Niccolo Machiavelli

World, Want, Contemplation

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One should never fall in the belief that you can find someone to pick you up.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Fall, Belief, Should

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It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Philosophical, Men, Honor

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Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Motivational, Philosophical, Art Of War

Niccolo Machiavelli (2010). “The Prince”, p.106, FastPencil Inc

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There is no other way to guard yourself against flattery than by making men understand that telling you the truth will not offend you.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Men, Way, Flattery

Niccolo Machiavelli (1979). “The Portable Machiavelli”, p.110, Penguin

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the wise man should always follow the roads that have been trodden by the great, and imitate those who have most excelled, so that if he cannot reach their perfection, he may at least acquire something of its savour.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Wise, Men, Perfection

Niccolo Machiavelli, Sir Thomas More, Sir (2010). “Machiavelli, More & Luther”, p.20, Cosimo, Inc.

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For this is the tragedy of man circumstances change, but he does not.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Men, Tragedy, Doe

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He who has once begun to live by rapine always finds reasons for taking what is not his.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Reason, Live By

Niccolo Machiavelli, Sir Thomas More, Sir (2010). “Machiavelli, More & Luther”, p.58, Cosimo, Inc.

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We must bear in mind, then, that there is nothing more difficult and dangerous, or more doubtful of success, than an attempt to introduce a new order of things in any state. For the innovator has for enemies all those who derived advantages from the old order of things, whilst those who expect to be benefited by the new institutions will be but lukewarm defenders.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Order, Mind, Enemy

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By the delusions of seeming good the people are often misled to desire their own ruin; and they are frequently influenced by great hopes and brave promises.

Niccolo Machiavelli

People, Brave, Promise

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A prince... must learn from the fox and the lion... One must be a fox in order to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten off wolves. Those who act simply as lions are stupid. So it follows that a prudent ruler cannot, and must not, honour his word when it places him at a disadvantage and when the reasons for which he made his promise no longer exist.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Art, War, Stupid

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He who builds on the people, builds on the mud

Niccolo Machiavelli

People, Mud

Niccolo Machiavelli (2010). “The Prince”, p.37, FastPencil Inc

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Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine...We work in the Dark, to serve the Light.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Dark, Light, Shay

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

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