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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.
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
Recognize
Therefore
Frighten
Protect
Wolves
Cannot
Foxes
Must
Lion
Traps
Lions
Defend
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Republics have a longer life and enjoy better fortune than principalities, because they can profit by their greater internal diversity. They are the better able to meet emergencies.
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Wisdom consists of knowing how to distinguish the nature of trouble, and in choosing the lesser evil.
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A wise prince will seek means by which his subjects will always and in every possible condition of things have need of his government, and then they will always be faithful to him.
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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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Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas in antiquity.
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A multitude is strong while it holds together, but so soon as each of those who compose it begins ro think of his own private danger, it becomes weak and contemptible.
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...it behooves us to adapt oneself to the times if one wants to enjoy continued good fortune.
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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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A son could bear with great complacency, the death of his father, while the loss of his inheritance might drive him to despair.
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Thus it is well to seem merciful, faithful, humane, sincere, religious, and also to be so but you must have the mind so disposed that when it is needful to be otherwise you may be able to change to the opposite qualities.
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It is a common failing of man not to take account of tempests during fair weather.
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Only those means of security are good, are certain, are lasting, that depend on yourself and your own vigor.
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Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.
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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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The forces of adversaries are more diminished by the loss of those who flee than of those who are killed.
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One must consider the final result
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Anyone who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it may expect to be destroyed by it for such a city may always justify rebellion in the name of liberty and its ancient institutions.
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There is no surer sign of decay in a country than to see the rites of religion held in contempt.
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Although deceit is detestable in all other things, yet in the conduct of war it is laudable and honorable and a commander who vanquishes an enemy by stratagem is equally praised with one who gains victory by force.
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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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