Quotes from Niccolo Machiavelli

A battle that you win cancels any other bad action of yours. In the same way, by losing one, all the good things worked by you before become vain.

Princes should delegate to others the enactment of unpopular measures and keep in their own hands the means of winning favours.

I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for adulation is lacking.

So in all human affairs one notices, if one examines them closely, that it is impossible to remove one inconvenience without another emerging.

The forces of adversaries are more diminished by the loss of those who flee than of those who are killed.

Never lead your soldiers to battle if you have not first confirmed their spirit and known them to be without fear and ordered; and never test them except when you see that they hope to win.

In war, discipline can do more than fury.

A prince ought to have two fears, one from within, on account of his subjects, the other from without, on account of external powers.

One should never allow chaos to develop in order to avoid going to war, because one does not avoid a war but instead puts it off to his disadvantage

When settling disputes between his subjects, he should ensure that his judgement is irrevocable; and he should be so regarded that no one ever dreams of trying to deceive or trick him.

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.

The princes who have done great things are the ones who have taken little account of their promises.

Nothing is of greater importance in time of war than in knowing how to make the best use of a fair opportunity when it is offered.

The greatest remedy that is used against a plan of the enemy is to do voluntarily what he plans that you do by force.

To know in war how to recognize an opportunity and seize it is better than anything else.

Present wars impoverish the lords that win as much as those that lose.

Hence it happened that all the armed prophets conquered, all the unarmed perished. [It., Di qui nacque che tutti li profeti armati vincero, e li disarmati rovinarono.]

Violence must be inflicted once for all; people will then forget what it tastes like and so be less resentful. Benefits must be conferred gradually; and in that way they will taste better.

Good order and discipline in any army are to be depended upon more than courage alone.

War brings out thieves and peace hangs them.

Men are always averse to enterprises in which they foresee difficulties.

One never finds anything perfectly pure and ... exempt from danger.

Only those means of security are good, are certain, are lasting, that depend on yourself and your own vigor.

Men are always wicked at bottom unless they are made good by some compulsion.