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If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.

Niccolo Machiavelli

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Niccolo Machiavelli
Age: 58 †
Born: 1469
Born: May 3
Died: 1527
Died: June 22
Diplomat
Historian
Military Theorist
Philosopher
Playwright
Poet
Political Theorist
Politician
Translator
Writer
Florence
Tuscany
Nicolo Machiavelli
Niccolo Machiavelli
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli
Nicolò Machiavelli
N. Machiavelli
Niccolo di Bernardo dei Machiavelli
Machiavelli
Needs
Vengeance
Men
Severe
Fierce
Injury
Revenge
Literature
Need
Done
Feared

More quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli

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When men receive favours from someone they expected to do them ill, they are under a greater obligation to their benefactor.
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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.
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Rome remained free for four hundred years and Sparta eight hundred, although their citizens were armed all that time but many other states that have been disarmed have lost their liberties in less than forty years.
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There are three kinds of brains: One understands of itself, another can be taught to understand, and the third can neither understand to itself or be taught to understand.
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Men are of three different capacities: one understands intuitively another understands so far as it is explained and a third understands neither of himself nor by explanation. The first is excellent, the second, commendable, and the third, altogether useless.
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Sometimes it has been of great moment while the fight is going on, to disseminate words that pronounce the enemies' captain to be dead, or to have been conquered by another part of the army. Many times this has given victory to him who used it.
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Men never do good unless necessity drives them to it but when they are free to choose and can do just as they please, confusion and disorder become rampant.
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Results are often obtained by impetuosity and daring which could never have been obtained by ordinary methods.
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Gold will not always get you good soldiers, but good soldiers can get you gold.
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Therefore the best fortress is to be found in the love of the people, for although you may have fortresses they will not save you if you are hated by the people.
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The best fortress which a prince can possess is the affection of his people.
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Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.
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The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.
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One of the great secrets of the day is to know how to take possession of popular prejudices and passions, in such a way as to introduce a confusion of principles which makes impossible all understanding between those who speak the same language and have the same interests.
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If the course of human affairs be considered, it will be seen that many things arise against which heaven does not allow us to guard.
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Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality. All men have eyes, but few have the gift of penetration.
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Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.
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Any man who tries to be good all the time is bound to come to ruin among the great number who are not good. Hence 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.
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God is not willing to do everything, and thus take away our free will and that share of glory which belongs to us.
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There should be many judges, for few will always do the will of few.
Niccolo Machiavelli