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Only those means of security are good, are certain, are lasting, that depend on yourself and your own vigor.

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
Lasting
Depends
Security
Means
Certain
Mean
Good
Vigor
Depend

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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Benefits should be conferred gradually and in that way they will taste better.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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Is it better to be loved or feared?
Niccolo Machiavelli
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Men are less hesitant about harming someone who makes himself loved than one who makes himself feared because love is held together by a chain of obligation which, since men are wretched creatures, is broken on every occasion in which their own interests are concerned but fear is sustained by dread of punishment which will never abandon you.
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We cannot attribute to fortune or virtue that which is achieved without either.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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For government consists in nothing else but so controlling subjects that they shall neither be able to, nor have cause to do [it] harm.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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Tardiness often robs us opportunity, and the dispatch of our forces.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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The wish to acquire more is admittedly a very natural and common thing and when men succeed in this they are always praised rather than condemned. But when they lack the ability to do so and yet want to acquire more at all costs, they deserve condemnation for their mistakes.
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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.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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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
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The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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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.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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There should be many judges, for few will always do the will of few.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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By the delusions of seeming good the people are often misled to desire their own ruin and they are frequently influenced by great hopes and brave promises.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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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.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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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.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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You must never believe that the enemy does not know how to conduct his own affairs. Indeed, if you want to be deceived less and want to bear less danger, the more the enemy is weak or the less the enemy is cautious, so much more must you esteem him.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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To know in war how to recognize an opportunity and seize it is better than anything else.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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A prince is also respected when he is a true friend and a true enemy that is, when he declares himself on the side of one prince against another without any reservation.
Niccolo Machiavelli
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Any harm you do to a man should be done in such a way that you need not fear his revenge.
Niccolo Machiavelli