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Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself another which appreciates what others comprehend and a third which neither comprehends by itself nor by the showing of others the first is the most excellent, the second is good, the third is useless.

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
Others
Useless
Three
Third
Comprehends
Another
Thirds
Intellects
Firsts
Intellect
Appreciates
First
Neither
Comprehend
Appreciate
Classes
Good
Second
Showing
Class
Excellent

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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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Results are often obtained by impetuosity and daring which could never have been obtained by ordinary methods.
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A son can bear with equanimity the loss of his father, but the loss of his inheritance may drive him to despair.
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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.
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The distinction between children and adults, while probably useful for some purposes, is at bottom a specious one, I feel. There are only individual egos, crazy for love.
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How perilous it is to free a people who prefer slavery.
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Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine...We work in the Dark, to serve the Light.
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The sinews of war are not gold, but good soldiers.
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Men ought either to be well treated, or crushed.
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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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One can generally say this about men: that they are ungrateful, fickle, simulators and deceivers, avoiders of danger, greedy for gain and while you work for their good they are completely yours, offering you their blood, their property, their lives, and their sons when danger is far away but when it comes nearer to you, they turn away.
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For one change always leaves a dovetail into which another will fit.
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Men ought either to be well treated or crushed, because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries, of more serious ones they cannot therefore the injury that is to be done to a man ought to be of such a kind that one does not stand in fear of revenge.
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The ends justifies the means.
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There is nothing as likely to succeed as what the enemy believes you cannot attempt.
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The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.
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Thus it happens in matters of state for knowing afar off (which it is only given a prudent man to do) the evils that are brewing, they are easily cured. But when, for want of such knowledge, they are allowed to grow so that everyone can recognize them, there is no longer any remedy to be found.
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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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Is it better to be loved or feared?
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I hope and hoping feeds my pain I weep and weeping feeds my failing heart I laugh but the laughter does not pass within I burn but the burning makes no mark outside.
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