"These opportunities, then, gave these men the chance they needed, and their great abilities made them recognize it.
He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command
~ Niccolò Machiavelli ~
Photo by Ákos Szabó
Photo by Ian Turnell
He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command
More Niccolò Machiavelli quotes
"It must be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage than a new system. For the ...
"Those who believe that where great personages are concerned new favors cause old injuries to be forgotten deceive themselves.
"... From want of foresight men make changes which relishing well at first do not betray their hidden venom, as I have already observed respecting hect...
"Without an opportunity, their abilities would have been wasted, and without their abilities, the opportunity would have arisen in vain.
"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 ...
"...no one should marvel at the ease with which Alexander [the Great] kept possession of Asia, or at the difficulties which others, like Pyrrhus and ma...
"Considering thus how much honor is awarded to antiquity, and how many times—letting pass infinite other examples—a fragment of an ancient statue has b...
"Armour belonging to someone else either chops off you or weighs you down or is too tight
"Men ought either to be well treated or crushed, because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries, of more serious ones they cannot; therefore th...
"In conclusion, the arms of others either fall from your back, or they weigh you down, or they bind you fast.
"... I believe that he will prosper most whose mode of acting best adapts itself to the character of the times; and conversely that he will be unprospe...
"Again, a Prince should show himself a patron of merit, and should honour those who excel in every art. He ought accordingly to encourage his subjects ...
"... On the whole, the best fortress you can have, is in not being hated by your subjects. If they hate you no fortress will save you...
"Thus 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 need...