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Niccolo Machiavelli

Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

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Famous Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

“One can generally say this about men: that they are ungrateful, fickle, simulators and deceivers, avoiders of danger, greedy for gain; and while you work for their good they are completely yours, offering you their blood, their property, their lives, and their sons when danger is far away; but when it comes nearer to you, they turn away.”

MenTurnsBloodDangerSonGainsPhilosophicalPropertyOfferingFar AwayGreedyUngratefulFickleDeceiver
Book:The Portable Machiavelli
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“Conquered states that have been accustomed to liberty and the government of their own laws can be held by the conqueror in three different ways. The first is to ruin them; the second, for the conqueror to go and reside there in person; and the third is to allow them to continue to live under their own laws, subject to a regular tribute, and to create in them a government of a few, who will keep the country friendly to the conqueror”

WayFirstsPersonsHas BeensDifferentWarCountryStatesGovernmentLawThreeLibertySubjectsThirdsRuinsDifferent WaysFriendlyAntiwarAccustomedTributeConqueror
Author:Niccolo Machiavelli
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“And what physicians say about disease is applicable here: that at the beginning a disease 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. The same thing occurs in affairs of state; for by recognizing from afar the diseases that are spreading in the state (which is a gift given only to the prudent ruler), they can be cured quickly; but when, not having been recognized, they are not recognized and are left to grow to the extent that everyone recognizes them, there is no longer any cure.”

StatesLeftGivenGrowsEasyDifficultDiseaseAffairTreatedCuresRulersPhysiciansRecognizingPrudentTime PassesAfar
Author:Niccolo Machiavelli
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“Well used are those cruelties (if it is permitted to speak well of evil) that are carried out in a single stroke, done out of necessity to protect oneself, and are not continued but are instead converted into the greatest possible benefits for the subjects. Badly used are those cruelties which. although being few at the outset, grow with the passing time instead of disappearing. Those who follow the first method can remedy their condition with God and with men; the others cannot possibly survive.”

IfsMenFirstsWellsDoneUsedEvilSpeakGrowsConditionsSubjectsProtectBenefitsMethodOneselfDisappearPassingPassingsCrueltyRemedyStrokes
Book:The Portable Machiavelli
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“One can make this generalization about men: they are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, they shun danger and are greedy for profit; while you treat them well, they are yours. They would shed their blood for you, risk their property, their lives, their children, so long, as I said above, as danger is remote; but when you are in danger they turn against you.”

MenWellsChildrenLongSaidTurnsRiskBloodDangerTreatsPropertyProfitLiarsShedGreedyUngratefulFickleGeneralizationDeceiver
Author:Niccolo Machiavelli
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“Men are less hesitant about harming someone who makes himself loved than one who makes himself feared because love is held together by a chain of obligation which, since men are wretched creatures, is broken on every occasion in which their own interests are concerned; but fear is sustained by dread of punishment which will never abandon you.”

MenTogetherInterestLove IsBrokenSelf LoveCreaturesConcernedPunishmentObligationChainsOccasionsAbandonDreadWretchedHesitantEvery Occasion
Author:Niccolo Machiavelli
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“And here one must not that hatred is acquired just as much by means of good actions as by bad ones; and so, as I said above, if a prince wishes to maintain the state, he is often obliged not to be good; because whenever that group which you believe you need to support you is corrupted, whether it be the common people, the soldiers, or the nobles, it is to your advantage to follow their inclinations in order to satisfy them; and then good actions are your enemy.”

PeopleIfsNeedsBelieveMeanSaidStatesActionOrderWishCommonEnemySupportGroupsAdvantageHatredSoldierBe GoodInclinationObligedSupport YouGood Actions
Author:Niccolo Machiavelli
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