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Niccolo Machiavelli

a statesman of Florence who advocated a strong central government (1469-1527)

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God creates men, but they choose each other.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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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 to things.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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Men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, for everyone can see and few can feel. Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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A wise man ought always to follow the paths beaten by great men, and to imitate those who have been supreme, so that if his ability does not equal theirs, at least it will savor of it. Let him act like the clever archers who, designing to hit the mark which yet appears too far distant, and knowing the limits to which the strength of their bow attains, take aim much higher than the mark, not to reach by their strength or arrow to so great a height, but to be able with the aid of so high an aim to hit the mark they wish to reach.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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He who blinded by ambition, raises himself to a position whence he cannot mount higher, must thereafter fall with the greatest loss.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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I consider it a mark of great prudence in a man to abstain from threats or any contemptuous expressions, for neither of these weaken the enemy, but threats make him more cautious, and the other excites his hatred, and a desire to revenge himself.

– Niccolò Machiavelli

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War cannot be avoided; it can only be postponed to the others advantage.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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Ambition is so powerful a passion in the human breast, that however high we reach we are never satisfied.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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A prince should therefore have no other aim or thought, nor take up any other thing for his study but war and it organization and discipline, for that is the only art that is necessary to one who commands.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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A wise man will see to it that his acts always seem voluntary and not done by compulsion, however much he may be compelled by necessity.

– Niccolò Machiavelli

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Because just as good morals, if they are to be maintained, have need of the laws, so the laws, if they are to be observed, have need of good morals.

– Niccolò Machiavelli

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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

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

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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It is much more secure to be feared than to be loved.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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It should be noted that when he seizes a state the new ruler ought to determine all the injuries that he will need to inflict. He should inflict them once and for all, and not have to renew them every day.

– Niccolò Machiavelli

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Men are more apt to be mistaken in their generalizations than in their particular observations.

– Niccolò Machiavelli

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Men are so simple and yield so readily to the desires of the moment that he who will trick will always find another who will suffer to be tricked.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear.

– Niccolò Machiavelli

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No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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No one should be astonished if in the following discussion of completely new princedoms and of the prince and of government, I bring up the noblest examples. Because, since men almost always walk in the paths beaten by others and carry on their affairs by imitatingeven though it is not possible to keep wholly in the paths of others or to attain the ability of those you imitatea prudent man will always choose to take paths beaten by great men and to imitate those who have been especially admirable, in order that if his ability does not reach theirs, at least it may offer some suggestion of it; and he will act like prudent archers, who, seeing that the mark they plan to hit is too far away and knowing what space can be covered by the power of their bows, take an aim much higher than their mark, not in order to reach with their arrows so great a height, but to be able, with the aid of so high an aim, to attain their purpose.

– Niccolò Machiavelli

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People should either be caressed or crushed. If you do them minor damage they will get their revenge; but if you cripple them there is nothing they can do. If you need to injure someone, do it in such a way that you do not have to fear their vengeance.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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Since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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The fact is that a man who wants to act virtuously in every way necessarily comes to grief among so many who are not virtuous.

– Niccolò Machiavelli

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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.

– Niccolò Machiavelli

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The wish to acquire more is admittedly a very natural and common thing; and when men succeed in this they are always praised rather than condemned. But when they lack the ability to do so and yet want to acquire more at all costs, they deserve condemnation for their mistakes.

– Niccolò Machiavelli

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There are three classes of intellects one which comprehends by itself another which appreciates what others comprehend and a third which neither comprehends by itself nor by the showing of others the first is the most excellent, the second is good, and the third is useless.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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There is no other way of guarding oneself against flattery than by letting men understand that they will not offend you by speaking the truth but when everyone can tell you the truth, you lose their respect.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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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

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When neither their property nor their honor is touched, the marjority of men live content.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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Where the very safety of the country depends upon the resolution to be taken, no consideration of justice or injustice, humanity or cruelty, nor of glory or of shame, should be allowed to prevail. But putting all other considerations aside, the only question should be: What course will save the life and liberty of the country?

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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Whoever desires to found a state and give it laws, must start with assuming that all men are bad and ever ready to display their vicious nature, whenever they may find occasion for it.

– Niccolo Machiavelli

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