Quotes About Strategy

moral that it is far better to earn the confidence of the people than to rely on fortresses.

I consider that it is better to be adventurous than cautious, because fortune is a woman, and if you wish to keep her under it is necessary to beat and ill-use her; and it is seen that she allows herself to be mastered by the adventurous rather than by those who go to work more coldly. She is, therefore, always, woman-like, a lover of young men, because they are less cautious, more violent, and with more audacity command her.

It is necessary', he writes, for a prince to learn 'how not to be good' (Ch. XV). Machiavelli's wording on this matter is extremely precise: a man who wants 'to profess goodness at all times' will inevitably fail because he is surrounded by many unscrupulous men. Hence, 'it is necessary for a prince who wishes to maintain himself to learn how not to be good, and to use this knowledge or not to use it according to necessity' (Ch. XV).

Así pues, la ofensa que se les infiera ha de ser tal que les inhabilite para vengarse.

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.

He [the prince] holds to what is right when he can but knows how to do wrong when he must.

For injuries ought to be done all at one time, so that, being tasted less, they offend less; benefits ought to be given little by little, so that the flavour of them may last longer. And

Guerra não se evita, mas se adia em favor de outrem.

prudence consists in knowing how to distinguish the character of troubles, and for choice to take the lesser evil.

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.

As injúrias devem ser cometidas de uma vez só, de modo que, por sua brevidade, ofendam menos ao paladar; ao passo que os benefícios devem ser feitos aos poucos, para que sejam mais bem saboreados.

comedic playwright.

Severities should be dealt out all at once, so that their suddenness may give less offense; benefits ought to be handed ought drop by drop, so that they may be relished the more.

The truth is that Machiavelli did try to obtain a position from the Medici, but he did not write The Prince in order to win their favour. 3 He was hoping to be offered a new post in recognition of his unquestionable competence in the 'art of the state' and as a reward for his abilities and impeccable honesty, not as a gift in reward for flattery. As he wrote in the famous letter to Francesco Vettori of 10 December 1513:

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

Pero un príncipe sabio evitará siempre valerse de unas y de otras y recurrirá a sus propias armas, prefiriendo perder con ellas a ganar con las ajenas.

a los hombres hay que conquistarlos o eliminarlos, porque si se vengan de las ofensas leves, de las graves no pueden; así que la ofensa que se haga al hombre debe ser tal, que le resulte imposible vengarse.

When brutality is the only option left, it is holy.

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

A prince who wants to keep his authority must learn how not to be good and use that knowledge, or refrain from using it, as necessity requires.

Concluyo, pues, volvieñdo a lo de ser temido y amado, que, dado que los hombres aman cuando es su voluntad y temen según la voluntad del príncipe, un príncipe sabio debe apoyarse en lo que es suyo y no en lo que es de otros; tan sólo debe ingeniárselas, como he dicho, para evitar el odio.

Debéis, pues, saber que hay dos formas de combatir: una con las leyes, otra con la fuerza. La primera es propia del hombre, la segunda de las bestias. Pero como muchas veces no basta la primera, conviene recurrir a la segunda.

el que ayuda a otro a hacerse poderoso causa su propiaruina. Porque es natural que el que se ha vuelto poderoso recele de la misma astucia o de la misma fuerza gracias a las cuales se lo ha ayudado.

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.