Benefits should be conferred gradually; and in that way they will taste better. Niccolo Machiavelli More Quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli More Quotes From Niccolo Machiavelli 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 Machiavelli crazymilitarywar A prince being thus obliged to know well how to act as a beast must imitate the fox and the lion, for the lion cannot protect himself from snares, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. Niccolo Machiavelli wishwarart The Swiss are well armed and enjoy great freedom. Niccolo Machiavelli swisswellsenjoy The innovator has for enemies all who have done well under the old, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new. Niccolo Machiavelli donemayenemy For titles do not reflect honor on men, but rather men on their titles. Niccolo Machiavelli titleshonormen The best fortress which a prince can possess is the affection of his people. Niccolo Machiavelli affectionwarpeople Men as a whole judge more with their eyes than with their hands. Niccolo Machiavelli eyemenhands Minds are of three kinds: one is capable of thinking for itself; another is able to understand the thinking of others; and a third can neither think for itself nor understand the thinking of others. The first is of the highest excellence, the second is excellent, and the third is worthless. Niccolo Machiavelli excellencemindthinking Never do your enemy a minor injury. Niccolo Machiavelli minorsinjuryenemy He who makes war his profession cannot be otherwise than vicious. War makes thieves, and peace brings them to the gallows. Niccolo Machiavelli viciousthieveswar There are three kinds of brains. The one understands things unassisted, the other understands things when shown by others, the third understands neither alone nor with the explanations of others. Niccolo Machiavelli threekindbrain He who would foresee what is to happen should look to what has happened: for all that is has its counterpart in time past. Niccolo Machiavelli shouldlookspast And when neither their property nor honour is touched, the majority of men live content, and he has only to contend with the ambition of a few, whom he can curb with ease in many ways. Niccolo Machiavelli ambitionwarart A prince is also respected when he is a true friend and a true enemy; that is, when he declares himself on the side of one prince against another without any reservation. Niccolo Machiavelli true-friendenemy A blast in the human breast is nothing to boast of. Niccolo Machiavelli blastbreastsboast All the armed prophets conquered; all the unarmed ones perished. Niccolo Machiavelli unarmedclarityprophet 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 menwarart Men ought either to be well treated or crushed, because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries, of more serious ones they cannot; therefore the injury that is to be done to a man ought to be of such a kind that one does not stand in fear of revenge. Niccolo Machiavelli revengedoemen Therefore, it is necessary to be a fox to discover the snares and a lion to terrify the wolves Niccolo Machiavelli snareslionsfoxes Nevertheless, he must be cautious in believing and acting, and must not inspire fear of his own accord, and must proceed in a temperate manner with prudence and humanity, so that too much confidence does not render him incautious, and too much diffidence does not render him intolerant. From this arises the question whether it is better to be loved more than feared, or feared more than loved. Niccolo Machiavelli warbelieveart
