Quotes About Ambition

There are many who think a wise prince ought, when he has the chance, to foment astutely some enmity, so that by suppressing it he will augment his greatness.

The wish to acquire is no doubt a natural and common sentiment, and when men attempt things within their power, they will always be praised rather than blamed. But when they persist in attempts that are beyond their power, mishaps and blame ensue.

And let it be noted that there is no more delicate matter to take in hand, nor more dangerous to conduct, nor more doubtful in its success, than to set up as a leader in the introduction of changes.

Therefore, my son, if you wish to please me, and to bring success and honour to yourself, do right and study, because others will help you if you help yourself.

When Princes devote themselves rather to pleasure than to arms, they lose their dominions.

From this one can derive a general rule which rarely, if ever, fails: that anyone who is the cause of another becoming powerful comes to ruin himself; because that power has been brought about by him either through cunning or by force; and both of these two qualities are suspect to the one who has become powerful.

Men will not look at things as they really are, but as they wish them to be— and are ruined.

Still, to slaughter fellow-citizens, to betray friends, to be devoid of honour, pity, and religion, cannot be counted as merits, for these are means which may lead to power, but which confer no glory.

Men rise from one ambition to another: first, they seek to secure themselves against attack, and then they attack others.

Thus the popes, sometimes in zeal for religion, at others moved by their own ambition, were continually calling in new parties and exciting new disturbances.

to a Prince who wants to do great things, it is necessary to learn to deceive.

he who is the cause of another becoming powerful is ruined because that predominance has been brought about either by astuteness or else by force, and both are distrusted by him who has been raised to power.

Without doubt, princes become great when they overcome difficulties and hurdles put in their path. When fortune wants to advance a new prince... She creates enemies for him, making them launch campaigns against him so that he is compelled to overcome them and climb higher on the ladder that they have brought him. Therefore, many judge that a wise prince must skillfully fan some enmity whenever the opportunity arises, so that in crushing it he will increase his standing.

Skoro pot??ny cudzoziemiec wkracza do prowincji, natychmiast ??cz? si? z nim wszyscy ci, co s? w niej mniej pot??ni, kierowani zawi?ci? przeciw pot??niejszemu od siebie.

although crimes may win an empire, they do not win glory.

And the first cause of your losing it is to neglect this art; and what enables you to acquire a state is to be master of the art.

E fu di tanta virtù, etiam in privata fortuna, che chi ne scrive, dice: quod nihil illi deerat ad regnandum praeter regnum.

Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them.

The wish to acquire is in truth very natural and common, and men always do so when they can, and for this they will be praised not blamed; but when they cannot do so, yet wish to do so by any means, then there is folly and blame.

cannot be called talent to slay fellow-citizens, to deceive friends, to be without faith, without mercy, without religion; such methods may gain empire, but not glory.

Un hombre prudente debe discurrir siempre por las vías trazadas por los grandes hombres e imitar a aquellos que han sobresalido extraordinariamente por encima de los demás, con el fin de que, aunque no se alcance su virtud, algo nos quede, sin embargo, de su aroma.

comedic playwright.

Li quali modi possono fare acquistare imperio, ma non gloria.

an able statesman out of work, like a huge whale, will endeavour to overturn the ship unless he has an empty cask to play with.