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Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries - for heavy ones they cannot.

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
Ones
Injuries
Either
Hustle
Literature
Slight
Cannot
Injury
Take
Revenge
Men
Destroyed
Treated
Generously
Heavy
Hairstyles

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Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.
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A government which does not trust its citizens to be armed is not itself to be trusted.
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I hope and hoping feeds my pain I weep and weeping feeds my failing heart I laugh but the laughter does not pass within I burn but the burning makes no mark outside.
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A son can bear with equanimity the loss of his father, but the loss of his inheritance may drive him to despair.
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For, in truth, there is no sure way of holding other than by destroying
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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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Men are so simple and yield so readily to the desires of the moment that he who will trick will always find another who will suffer to be tricked.
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War should be the only study of a prince. He should consider peace only as a breathing-time, which gives him leisure to contrive, and furnishes as ability to execute, military plans.
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We have not seen great things done in our time except by those who have been considered mean the rest have failed.
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Violence must be inflicted once for all people will then forget what it tastes like and so be less resentful. Benefits must be conferred gradually and in that way they will taste better.
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To keep your actions and your plans secret always has been a very good thing . .. Marcus Crassus said to one who asked him when he was going to move the army: 'Do you believe that you will be the only one not to hear the trumpet?
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Appear as you may wish to be
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There is no other way to guard yourself against flattery than by making men understand that telling you the truth will not offend you.
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Princes should delegate to others the enactment of unpopular measures and keep in their own hands the means of winning favours.
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In conclusion, the arms of others either fall from your back, or they weigh you down, or they bind you fast.
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It may be observed, that provinces amid the vicissitudes to which they are subject, pass from order into confusion, and afterward recur to a state of order again for the nature of mundane affairs not allowing them to continue in an even course, when they have arrived at their greatest perfection, they soon begin to decline.
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When settling disputes between his subjects, he should ensure that his judgement is irrevocable and he should be so regarded that no one ever dreams of trying to deceive or trick him.
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A prince ought to have two fears, one from within, on account of his subjects, the other from without, on account of external powers.
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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.
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I consider it a mark of great prudence in a man to abstain from threats or any contemptuous expressions, for neither of these weaken the enemy, but threats make him more cautious, and the other excites his hatred, and a desire to revenge himself.
Niccolo Machiavelli