Quotes from Niccolo Machiavelli

One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others.

Power is the pivot on which everything hinges. He who has the power is always right; the weaker is always wrong.

Make no small plans for they have no power to stir the soul.

The state is not an organism capable of bringing either moral or material improvements to the populace...but merely a vehicle of power for the men and party in power.

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.

Gold will not always get you good soldiers, but good soldiers can get you gold.

The world has always been the same; and there is always as much good fortune as bad in it.

For government consists in nothing else but so controlling subjects that they shall neither be able to, nor have cause to do [it] harm.

A wise prince will seek means by which his subjects will always and in every possible condition of things have need of his government, and then they will always be faithful to him.

The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms.

The Swiss are well armed and enjoy great freedom.

Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas in antiquity.

It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles.

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

I hope and hoping feeds my pain I weep and weeping feeds my failing heart I laugh but the laughter does not pass within I burn but the burning makes no mark outside.

Forgiveness proceeds from a generous soul.

Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.

A sign of intelligence is an awareness of one's own ignorance.

....it cannot be called ingenuity to kill one's fellow citizens, to betray friends, to be without faith, without mercy, without religion; by these means one can aquire power but not glory.

In respect to foresight and firmness, the people are more prudent, more stable, and have better judgement than princes.

Benefits should be conferred gradually; and in that way they will taste better.

Republics have a longer life and enjoy better fortune than principalities, because they can profit by their greater internal diversity. They are the better able to meet emergencies.

Whoever conquers a free town and does not demolish it commits a great error and may expect to be ruined himself.

A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example.