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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.

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
Politics
Judge
Eye
Tragedy
Reality
Gift
Men
Judging
Judgment
General
Penetration
Wisdom
Appearances
Eyes
Appearance

More quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli

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In order not to annul our free will, I judge it true that Fortune may be mistress of one half our actions but then even she leaves the other half, or almost, under our control.
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Fear is secured by a dread of punishment.
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States that rise quickly, just as all the other things of nature that are born and grow rapidly, cannot have roots and ramifications the first bad weather kills them
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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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It is necessary that the prince should know how to color his nature well, and how to be a hypocrite and dissembler. For men are so simple, and yield so much to immediate necessity, that the deceiver will never lack dupes.
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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.
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There is nothing more important than appearing to be religious.
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Among other evils which being unarmed brings you, it causes you to be despised.
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So long as the great majority of men are not deprived of either property or honor, they are satisfied.
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For as good habits of the people require good laws to support them, so laws, to be observed, need good habits on the part of the people.
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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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Therefore, in order not to have to rob his subjects, to be able to defend himself, not to become poor and contemptible, and not to be forced to become rapacious, a prince must consider it of little importance if he incurs the name of miser, for this is one of the vices that permits him to rule.
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With difficulty he is beaten who can estimate his own forces and those of his enemy.
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You must know, then, that there are two methods of fighting, the one by law, the other by force: the first method is that of men, the second of beasts but as the first method is often insufficient, one must have recourse to the second.
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Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.
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Is it better to be loved or feared?
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When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred.
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There should be many judges, for few will always do the will of few.
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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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God is not willing to do everything, and thus take away our free will and that share of glory which belongs to us.
Niccolo Machiavelli