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Men are so simple of mind, and so much dominated by their immediate needs, that a deceitful man will always find plenty who are ready to be deceived.

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
Much
Immediate
Mind
Plenty
Always
Ready
Men
Politics
Simple
Political
Deceitful
Find
Dominated
Needs
Deceived

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When they remain in garrison, soldiers are maintained with fear and punishment when they are then led to war, with hope and reward.
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Tardiness often robs us opportunity, and the dispatch of our forces.
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How we live is so different from how we ought to live that he who studies what ought to be done rather than what is done will learn the way to his downfall rather than to his preservation.
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It has always been the opinion and judgment of wise men that nothing can be so uncertain as fame or power not founded on its own strength.
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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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There is nothing more important than appearing to be religious.
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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.
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A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests.
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Fear is secured by a dread of punishment.
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The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.
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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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I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for adulation is lacking.
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All who contribute to the overthrow of religion, or to the ruin of kingdoms and commonwealths, all who are foes to letters and to the arts which confer honour and benefit on the human race (among whom I reckon the impious, the cruel, the ignorant, the indolent, the base and the worthless), are held in infamy and detestation.
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...the incredulity of mankind, who do not truly believe in anything new until they have had actual experience of it.
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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.
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Therefore, it is necessary to be a fox to discover the snares and a lion to terrify the wolves
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Every little advantage is of great moment when men have to come to blows.
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The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms.
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For the mob is always impressed by appearances and by results, and the world is composed of the mob.
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