Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

Italian - Writer May 3, 1469 - June 21, 1527

One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Always Find Will Deceived Who

Politics have no relation to morals.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Politics Morals Relation

It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Fear Loved You Better

The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Life Sand See More Through

There are three kinds of intelligence: one kind understands things for itself, the other appreciates what others can understand, the third understands neither for itself nor through others. This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Good Intelligence Understand Useless

If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Man Done Need Vengeance

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

Niccolo Machiavelli

Men Honor Titles

It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Pleasure Double Deceive Deceiver

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

Success Difficult New Nothing

The wise man does at once what the fool does finally.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Man Wise Fool Wise Man Finally

Top 10
Niccolo Machiavelli
Quotes

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

Niccolo Machiavelli

Broken Past Present Promise

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

Niccolo Machiavelli

Great Difficulties Cannot Where

Men rise from one ambition to another: first, they seek to secure themselves against attack, and then they attack others.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Men Ambition Rise Others

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.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Good You New Follow

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

Niccolo Machiavelli

Want Not Interested Status Status Quo

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

Life Good Simple Man

Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Success Change Constant Must

Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries - for heavy ones they cannot.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Men Revenge Injuries Cannot

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

Niccolo Machiavelli

Power Know Wishes Who He

A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Never Promise Break Prince

Of mankind we may say in general they are fickle, hypocritical, and greedy of gain.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Say May Gain Greedy

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.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Love Children Crazy Feel

Benefits should be conferred gradually; and in that way they will taste better.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Better Way Will Taste

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

Niccolo Machiavelli

Good Evil Hatred Much Good Works

Before all else, be armed.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Before Armed Else

The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Intelligence Men Look First

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Robert A. Heinlein

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