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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.

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
Men
Gift
Attained
Unless
Rank
Conditions
Inheritance
Either
Fraud
High
Seldom
Force
Condition
Power
Rise
Without
Lows
Employing

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It has always been the opinion and judgment of wise men that nothing can be so uncertain as fame or power not founded on its own strength.
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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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For, in truth, there is no sure way of holding other than by destroying
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When settling disputes between his subjects, he should ensure that his judgement is irrevocable and he should be so regarded that no one ever dreams of trying to deceive or trick him.
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From this arises the question whether it is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved. It might perhaps be answered that we should wish to be both: but since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved.
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In conclusion, the arms of others either fall from your back, or they weigh you down, or they bind you fast.
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For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearances, as though they were realities, and are often more influenced by the things that seem than by those that are.
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The innovator has for enemies all who have done well under the old, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new.
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There are three kinds of brains: One understands of itself, another can be taught to understand, and the third can neither understand to itself or be taught to understand.
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If the present be compared with the remote past, it is easily seen that in all cities and in all peoples there are the same desires and the same passions as there always were.
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Men rise from one ambition to another: first, they seek to secure themselves against attack, and then they attack others.
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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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A prudent man... must behave like those archers who, if they are skillful, when the target seems too distant, know the capabilities of their bow and aim a good deal higher than their objective, not in order to shoot so high but so that by aiming high they can reach the target.
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For as laws are necessary that good manners be preserved, so there is need of good manners that law may be maintained.
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Tardiness often robs us opportunity, and the dispatch of our forces.
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All the States and Governments by which men are or ever have been ruled, have been and are either Republics or Princedoms.
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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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So long as the great majority of men are not deprived of either property or honor, they are satisfied.
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The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.
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