01c. 1498 ADIt is not titles that honour men, but men that honour titles.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
02c. 1498 ADMen are driven by two principal impulses, either by love or by fear.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
03c. 1498 ADCHAPTER VIConcerning New Principalities Which Are Acquired By One's Own Arms And AbilityLET no one be surprised if, in speaking of entirely new principalities as I shall do, I adduce the highest examples both of prince and of state; because men, walking almost always in paths beaten by others, and following by imitation their deeds, are yet unable to keep entirely to the ways of others or attain to the power of those they imitate. A wise man ought always to follow the paths beaten by great men, and to imitate those who have been supreme, so that if his ability does not equal theirs, at least it will savour of it. Let him act like the clever archers who, designing to hit the mark which yet appears too far distant, and knowing the limits to which the strength of their bow attains, take aim much higher than the mark, not to reach by their strength or arrow to so great a height, but to be able with the aid of so high an aim to hit the mark they wish to reach.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
04c. 1498 AD..it happens in all human affairs that we never seek to escape one mischief without falling into another. Prudence therefore consists in knowing how to distinguish degrees of disadvantage, and in accepting a less evil as a good.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
05c. 1498 ADA prince need take little account of conspiracies if the people are disposed in his favor.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
06c. 1498 ADIf they lacked the opportunity, the strength of their sprit would have been sapped; if they had lacked ability, the opportunity would have been wasted.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
07c. 1498 AD... When Princes devote themselves rather to pleasure than to arms, they lose their dominions.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
09c. 1498 ADAnd what physicians say about consumptive illnesses is applicable here: that at the beginning, such an illness is easy to cure but difficult to diagnose; but as time passes, not having been recognized or treated at the outset, it becomes easy to diagnose but difficult to cure.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
10c. 1498 ADFor this can be said of men in general: that they are ungrateful, fickle, hypocrites and dissemblers, avoiders of dangers, greedy for gain; and while you benefit them, they are entirely yours, offering you their blood, their goods, their life, their children,...when need is far away, but when you actually become needy, they turn away. (translated by Wayne A. Rebhorn)Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
11c. 1498 ADPeople should either be caressed or crushed. If you do them minor damage they will get their revenge; but if you cripple them there is nothing they can do. If you need to injure someone, do it in such a way that you do not have to fear their vengeance.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
13c. 1498 ADFlorence which included diplomatic missions to various European courts.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
14c. 1498 ADat Florence which included diplomatic missions to various European courts. ImprisonedNiccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
16c. 1498 ADWhen evening comes, I go back home, and go to my study. On the threshold I take off my work clothes, covered in mud and filth, and put on the clothes an ambassador would wear. Decently dressed, I enter the ancient courts of rulers who have long since died. There I am warmly welcomed, and I feed on the only food I find nourishing, and was born to savor. I am not ashamed to talk to them, and to ask them to explain their actions. And they, out of kindness, answer me. Four hours go by without my feeling any anxiety. I forget every worry. I am no longer afraid of poverty, or frightened of death. I live entirely through them.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
17c. 1498 ADInjuries, therefore, should be inflicted all at once, that their ill savour being less lasting may the less offend; whereas, benefits should be conferred little by little, that so they may be more fully relished.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
18c. 1498 ADThus it is well to seem merciful, faithful, humane, sincere, religious, and also to be so; but you must have the mind so disposed that when it is needful to be otherwise you may be able to change to the opposite qualities. And it must be understood that a prince, and especially a new prince, cannot observe all those things which are considered good in men, being often obliged, in order to maintain the state, to act against faith, against charity, against humanity, and against religion. And, therefore, he must have a mind disposed to adapt itself according to the wind, and as the variations of fortune dictate, and, as I said before, not deviate from what is good, if possible, but be able to do evil if constrained.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
19c. 1498 AD... one would like to be both [loved and feared], but as it is difficult to combine both love and fear, if one has to choose between them it is far safer to be feared than lovedNiccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
21c. 1498 AD... Physicians tell us of hectic fever, that in its beginning it is easy to cure, but hard to recognize; whereas, after a time, not having been detected and treated at the first, it becomes easy to recognize but impossible to cure. And so it is with State affairs.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
22c. 1498 ADAnd you have to understand this, that a prince, especially a new one, cannot observe all those things for which men are esteemed, being often forced, in order to maintain the state, to act contrary to faith, friendship, humanity, and religion. “ The Prince, XVIII, 5Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
23c. 1498 ADWhat remains to be done must be done by you; since in order not to deprive us of our free will and such share of glory as belongs to us, God will not do everything himself.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
24c. 1498 AD[...T]he ways of God have been manifested beyond example: the sea is divided, the cloud has led the way, the rock has poured forth water, it has rained manna, everything has contributed to your greatness; you ought to do the rest. God is not willing to do everything, and thus take away our free will and that share of glory which belongs to us.Niccolò Machiavelli / quote ↗
