Share
×
Inspirational Quotes
Authors
Professions
Topics
Tags
Quote
We cannot attribute to fortune or virtue that which is achieved without either.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Share
Change background
T
T
T
Change font
Original
TAGS & TOPICS
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
Achieved
Philosophical
Fortune
Virtue
Either
Literature
Umpires
Cannot
Attribute
Without
Attributes
More quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli
Fear is secured by a dread of punishment.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries - for heavy ones they cannot.
Niccolo Machiavelli
...it behooves us to adapt oneself to the times if one wants to enjoy continued good fortune.
Niccolo Machiavelli
To know well the nature of the people one must be a prince, and to know well the nature of princes one must be of the people.
Niccolo Machiavelli
For without invention, no one was ever a great man in his own trade.
Niccolo Machiavelli
He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command.
Niccolo Machiavelli
So long as the great majority of men are not deprived of either property or honor, they are satisfied.
Niccolo Machiavelli
The reformer has enemies in all who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by the new order.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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.
Niccolo Machiavelli
So in all human affairs one notices, if one examines them closely, that it is impossible to remove one inconvenience without another emerging.
Niccolo Machiavelli
It makes him hated above all things, as I have said, to be rapacious, and to be a violator of the property and women of his subjects, from both of which he must abstain.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Ability and perseverance are the weapons of weakness.
Niccolo Machiavelli
...the incredulity of mankind, who do not truly believe in anything new until they have had actual experience of it.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, for everyone can see and few can feel. Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are.
Niccolo Machiavelli
the wise man should always follow the roads that have been trodden by the great, and imitate those who have most excelled, so that if he cannot reach their perfection, he may at least acquire something of its savour.
Niccolo Machiavelli
it is much safer to be feared than loved because ...love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails.
Niccolo Machiavelli
The world has always been the same and there is always as much good fortune as bad in it.
Niccolo Machiavelli
When fortune wishes to bring mighty events to a successful conclusion, she selects some man of spirit and ability who knows how to seize the opportunity she offers.
Niccolo Machiavelli
For whoever conquers a free Town, and does not demolish it, commits a great Error, and may expect to be ruin 'd himself.
Niccolo Machiavelli
