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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.

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
Less
Resentful
War
Inflicted
Art
Tastes
Better
Gradually
Must
Benefits
Way
Taste
Like
Violence
People
Forget
Conferred

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Men are so stupid and concerned with their present needs, they will always let themselves be deceived.
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Cruelties should be committed all at once.
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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.
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The best fortress which a prince can possess is the affection of his people.
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We must distinguish between those who depend on others, that is between those who to achieve their purposes can force the issue and those who must use persuasion. In the second case, they always come to grief, having achieved nothing when, however, they depend on their own resources and can force the issue, then they are seldom endangered.
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Forgiveness proceeds from a generous soul.
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When men receive favours from someone they expected to do them ill, they are under a greater obligation to their benefactor.
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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.
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As all those have shown who have discussed civil institutions, and as every history is full of examples, it is necessary to whoever arranges to found a Republic and establish laws in it, to presuppose that all men are bad and that they will use their malignity of mind every time they have the opportunity.
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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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A wise man will see to it that his acts always seem voluntary and not done by compulsion, however much he may be compelled by necessity.
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For without invention, no one was ever a great man in his own trade.
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Good order and discipline in any army are to be depended upon more than courage alone.
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For he who innovates will have for his enemies all those who are well off under the existing order of things, and only lukewarm supporters in those who might be better off under the new.
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Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.
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How perilous it is to free a people who prefer slavery.
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If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.
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Never do your enemy a minor injury.
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Men seldom rise from low condition to high rank without employing either force or fraud, unless that rank should be attained either by gift or inheritance.
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