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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.

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
Capacity
Altogether
Second
Understands
Three
Explanation
Another
Excellent
Firsts
Useless
Commendable
First
Third
Intuitively
Different
Thirds
Capacities
Men
Neither
Explained

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For without invention, no one was ever a great man in his own trade.
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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 is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.
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For the mob is always impressed by appearances and by results, and the world is composed of the mob.
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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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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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The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms.
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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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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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Any man who tries to be good all the time is bound to come to ruin among the great number who are not good. Hence a prince who wants to keep his authority must learn how not to be good, and use that knowledge, or refrain from using it, as necessity requires.
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The state is not an organism capable of bringing either moral or material improvements to the populace...but merely a vehicle of power for the men and party in power.
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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 one who adapts his policy to the times prospers, and likewise that the one whose policy clashes with the demands of the times does not.
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So far as he is able, a prince should stick to the path of good but, if the necessity arises, he should know how to follow evil.
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Never do your enemy a minor injury.
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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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The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.
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The world has always been the same and there is always as much good fortune as bad in it.
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Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.
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Men are always averse to enterprises in which they foresee difficulties.
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