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Niccolo Machiavelli

Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

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Famous Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

“You know better than I that in a Republic talent is always suspect. A man attains an elevated position only when his mediocrity prevents him from being a threat to others. And for this reason a democracy is never governed by the most competent, but rather by those whose insignificance will not jeopardize anyone else's self-esteem.”

KnowsMenSelfReasonDemocracyTalentSelf EsteemPositionThreatEsteemSuspectsRepublicMediocrityCompetentInsignificanceJeopardize
Author:Niccolo Machiavelli
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“Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them. And I shall dare to say this also, that to have them and always to observe them is injurious, and that to appear to have them is useful; to appear merciful, faithful, humane, religious, upright, and to be so, but with a mind so framed that should you require not to be so, you may be able and know how to change to the opposite.”

KnowsShouldMindMayAbleReligiousQualityKnow HowOppositesDareFaithfulUnnecessaryHumaneMercifulFramedGood Quality
Book:The Prince
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“No proceeding is better than that which you have concealed from the enemy until the time you have executed it. To know how to recognize an opportunity in war, and take it, benefits you more than anything else. Nature creates few men brave, industry and training makes many. Discipline in war counts more than fury.”

KnowsMenArtWarOpportunityEnemyKnow HowIndustryDisciplineBenefitsTrainingBraveArt Of WarFuryConcealedProceeding
Book:The Complete Art of War
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“I assert once again as a truth to which history as a whole bears witness that men may second their fortune, but cannot oppose it; that they may weave its warp, but cannot break it. Yet they should never give up, because there is always hope, though they know not the end and more towards it along roads which cross one another and as yet are unexplored; and since there is hope, they should not despair, no matter what fortune brings or in what travail they find themselves.”

KnowsMenGivingShouldMayArtWarEndsMatterWholeBreakBearsDespairGiving UpCrossesNo Matter WhatFortuneWitnessNever Giving UpArt Of WarThere Is HopeWarpUnexploredLong Road
Author:Niccolo Machiavelli
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“How laudable it is for a prince to keep good faith and live with integrity, and not with astuteness, every one knows. Still the experience of our times shows those princes to have done great things who have had little regard for good faith, and have been able by astuteness to confuse men's brains, and who have ultimately overcome those who have made loyalty their foundation.”

KnowsMenLittlesHas BeensArtMadeStillsWarDoneShowsAbleBrainIntegrityOvercomingRegardFoundationLoyaltyGreat ThingsOur TimeArt Of WarGood Faith
Book:The Prince
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“A prince must be prudent enough to know how to escape the bad reputation of those vices that would lose the state for him, and must protect himself from those that will not lose it for him, if this is possible; but if he cannot, he need not concern himself unduly if he ignores these less serious vices.”

IfsKnowsNeedsStatesEnoughLosesKnow HowVirtueSeriousProtectConcernVicesReputationPrudentBad Reputation
Book:The Portable Machiavelli
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