The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present. Niccolo Machiavelli More Quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli More Quotes From Niccolo Machiavelli Princes and governments are far more dangerous than other elements within society. Niccolo Machiavelli elements government literature Before all else, be armed. Niccolo Machiavelli philosophical war peace War is a profession by which a man cannot live honorably; an employment by which the soldier, if he would reap any profit, is obliged to be false, rapacious, and cruel. Niccolo Machiavelli men war peace The nature of man is such that people consider themselves put under an obligation as much by the benefits they confer as by those they receive. Niccolo Machiavelli men war art Those who either from imprudence or want of sagacity avoid doing so, are always overwhelmed with servitude and poverty; for faithful servants are always servants, and honest men are always poor; nor do any ever escape from servitude but the bold and faithless, or from poverty, but the rapacious and fraudulent. Niccolo Machiavelli men war art Nothing feeds upon itself as liberality does. Niccolo Machiavelli liberality doe Though fraud in all other actions be odious, yet in matters of war it is laudable and glorious, and he who overcomes his enemies by stratagem is as much to be praised as he who overcomes them by force. Niccolo Machiavelli overcoming war enemy There is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage than the creation of a new order of things..... Whenever his enemies have occasion to attack the innovator they do so with the passion of partisans, while the others defend him sluggishly so that the innovator and his party alike are vulnerable. Niccolo Machiavelli passion party leadership The greatest remedy that is used against a plan of the enemy is to do voluntarily what he plans that you do by force. Niccolo Machiavelli war enemy art If the chief party, whether it be the people, or the army, or the nobility, which you think most useful and of most consequence to you for the conservation of your dignity, be corrupt, you must follow their humor and indulge them, and in that case honesty and virtue are pernicious. Niccolo Machiavelli army honesty party The prince must be a lion, but he must also know how to play the fox. Niccolo Machiavelli lions foxes play When every province of the world so teems with inhabitants that they can neither subsist where they are nor remove themselves elsewhere. Niccolo Machiavelli population three world The reason is that nature has so created men that they are able to desire everything but are not able to attain everything: so that the desire being always greater than the acquisition, there results discontent with the possession and little satisfaction to themselves from it. From this arises the changes in their fortunes; for as men desire, some to have more, some in fear of losing their acquisition, there ensues enmity and war, from which results the ruin of that province and the elevation of another. Niccolo Machiavelli men war art Although deceit is detestable in all other things, yet in the conduct of war it is laudable and honorable; and a commander who vanquishes an enemy by stratagem is equally praised with one who gains victory by force. Niccolo Machiavelli victory war enemy One must be a fox to recognize traps and a lion to frighten wolves Niccolo Machiavelli traps lions foxes There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others. Niccolo Machiavelli military war peace One should never fall in the belief that you can find someone to pick you up. Niccolo Machiavelli belief should fall A multitude is strong while it holds together, but so soon as each of those who compose it begins ro think of his own private danger, it becomes weak and contemptible. Niccolo Machiavelli strong together thinking War brings out thieves and peace hangs them. Niccolo Machiavelli thieves war Men seldom rise from low condition to high rank without employing either force or fraud, unless that rank should be attained either by gift or inheritance. Niccolo Machiavelli inheritance power men
