Never do your enemy a minor injury. Niccolo Machiavelli More Quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli More Quotes From Niccolo Machiavelli There is nothing that Nature seems to have inclined us to as much as society. Niccolo Machiavelli society seems (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 interest should reason 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 ignorant race art That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; for, provided it is well known that he is an excellent man and revered by his people, he can only be attacked with difficulty. Niccolo Machiavelli men war art ...people are by nature fickle, and it is easy to persuade them of something, but difficult to keep them persuaded. Niccolo Machiavelli fickle nature people ...it behooves us to adapt oneself to the times if one wants to enjoy continued good fortune. Niccolo Machiavelli fortune want life The princes who have done great things are the ones who have taken little account of their promises. Niccolo Machiavelli taken war promise Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them. And I shall dare to say this also, that to have them and always to observe them is injurious, and that to appear to have them is useful; to appear merciful, faithful, humane, religious, upright, and to be so, but with a mind so framed that should you require not to be so, you may be able and know how to change to the opposite. Niccolo Machiavelli faithful religious opposites And when he is obliged to take the life of any one, to do so when there is a proper justification and manifest reason for it; but above all he must abstain from taking the property of others, for men forget more easily the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony. Niccolo Machiavelli war father art I hope and hoping feeds my pain Niccolo Machiavelli laughter pain reading ....those who become princes through their skill acquire the pricipality with difficulty, buy they hold onto it with ease. Niccolo Machiavelli politics skills ease ....nothing is so unhealthy or unstable as the reputation for power that is not based on one's own power. Niccolo Machiavelli unstable reputation politics And above all you ought to guard against leading an army to fight which is afraid or which is not confident of victory. For the greatest sign of an impending loss is when one does not believe one can win. Niccolo Machiavelli war believe art 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 fighting war art It is much safer for the prince to be feared than loved, but he ought to avoid making himself hated. Niccolo Machiavelli ought hated Then also pretexts for seizing property are never wanting, and one who begins to live by rapine will always find some reason for taking the goods of others, whereas causes for taking life are rarer and more quickly destroyed. Niccolo Machiavelli causes war art Since it is difficult to join them together, it is safer to be feared than to be loved when one of the two must be lacking. Niccolo Machiavelli together love two And if such malignity is hidden for a time, it proceeds from the unknown reason that would not be known because the experience of the contrary had not been seen, but time, which is said to be the father of every truth, will cause it to be discovered. Niccolo Machiavelli war father art You must never believe that the enemy does not know how to conduct his own affairs. Indeed, if you want to be deceived less and want to bear less danger, the more the enemy is weak or the less the enemy is cautious, so much more must you esteem him. Niccolo Machiavelli war believe art So far as he is able, a prince should stick to the path of good but, if the necessity arises, he should know how to follow evil. Niccolo Machiavelli able evil war
