Quotes About Deception

Men in general are as much affected by what a thing appears to be as by what it is, indeed they are frequently influenced more by appearances than by reality.

Anyone who believes that new benefits make men of high station forget old injuries deceives himself.

Men always praise antiquity and fault the present, although not always reasonably, and they are partisans of things past such that not only do they celebrate those ages that they know from what historians have preserved of them, but also those that as old men they recall having seen in their youth. And if this opinion of theirs is false, as it is most of the time, I am persuaded that there are various causes that lead them into this deception.

this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed they are yours entirely; they will offer you their blood, property, life, and children, as is said above, when the need is far distant; but when it approaches they turn against you. And

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.

Men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, because it belongs to everybody to see you, to few to come in touch with you. Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are, and those few dare not oppose themselves to the opinion of the many, who have the majesty of the state to defend them; and in the actions of all men, and especially of princes, which it is not prudent to challenge, one judges by the result.

Quem cria o poder de outrem se arruína, porque tal poder se origina da astúcia ou da força, e ambas são suspeitas a quem se tornou poderoso.

Os homens são tão simplórios e obedientes às necessidades imediatas que aquele que engana sempre encontrará quem se deixe enganar.

for a man who wishes to act entirely up to his professions of virtue soon meets with what destroys him among so much that is evil

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

el que engaña con arte halla siempre gente que se deje engañar.

If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared. He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command. One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived. Politics have no relation to morals

Men are so thoughtless they'll opt for a diet that tastes good without realizing there's a hidden poison in it.

MÄ…dry pan nie mo?e ani nie powinien dotrzymywa? wiary, je?eli takie dotrzymywanie przynosi mu szkodÄ™ i gdy znikn??y jego przyczyny, które spowodowaÅ'y jego przyrzeczenie. Zapewne gdyby wszyscy ludzie byli dobrzy, ten przepis nie byÅ'by dobry, lecz poniewa? sÄ… oni nikczemni i nie dotrzymywaliby tobie wiary, wiÄ™c ty tak?e nie jesteÅ› zobowiÄ…zany im jej dotrzymywa?.

Çünkü insanlar, eÄŸer iyi olmalar?n? gerektiren bir zorunluluk yoksa, kötü insanlar olarak kar??m?za ç?kar.

This is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed they are yours entirely; they will offer you blood, property, life, and children, as is said above, when the need is far distant; but when it approaches they turn against you.

He who has once begun to live by robbery will always find pretexts for seizing what belongs to others.

Those princes who have done great things … in the end have overcome those who relied on their word.

Alexander the Sixth did nothing else but deceive men, nor ever thought of doing otherwise, and he always found victims; for there never was a man who had greater power in asserting, or who with greater oaths would affirm a thing, yet would observe it less.

For these reasons Louis the Twelfth, King of France, quickly occupied Milan, and as quickly lost it; and to turn him out the first time it only needed Lodovico's own forces; because those who had opened the gates to him, finding themselves deceived in their hopes of future benefit, would not endure the ill-treatment of the new prince.

Thus, it is well to seem merciful, faithful, humane, religious, and upright, and also to be so; but the mind should remain so balanced that were it needful not to be so, you should be able and know how to change to the contrary.

For a long time I have not said what I believed, nor do I ever believe what I say. And if sometimes I do happen to tell the truth, I hide it among so many lies that it is hard to find.

es que el que ayuda a otro a hacerse poderoso provoca su propia ruina.

Quien propicia que otro se vuelva poderoso obra su propia ruina.