In our own days we have seen no princes accomplish great results save those who have been accounted miserly. Niccolo Machiavelli More Quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli More Quotes From Niccolo Machiavelli He who has not first laid his foundations may be able with great ability to lay them afterwards, but they will be laid with trouble to the architect and danger to the building. Niccolo Machiavelli able may firsts 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 crazy military war 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 wish war art The Swiss are well armed and enjoy great freedom. Niccolo Machiavelli swiss wells enjoy 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 done may enemy For titles do not reflect honor on men, but rather men on their titles. Niccolo Machiavelli titles honor men The best fortress which a prince can possess is the affection of his people. Niccolo Machiavelli affection war people Men as a whole judge more with their eyes than with their hands. Niccolo Machiavelli eye men hands 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 excellence mind thinking Never do your enemy a minor injury. Niccolo Machiavelli minors injury enemy He who makes war his profession cannot be otherwise than vicious. War makes thieves, and peace brings them to the gallows. Niccolo Machiavelli vicious thieves war 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 three kind brain 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 should looks past 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 ambition war art 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-friend enemy A blast in the human breast is nothing to boast of. Niccolo Machiavelli blast breasts boast All the armed prophets conquered; all the unarmed ones perished. Niccolo Machiavelli unarmed clarity prophet 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 men war art 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 revenge doe men Therefore, it is necessary to be a fox to discover the snares and a lion to terrify the wolves Niccolo Machiavelli snares lions foxes
