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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.

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
Among
Numbers
Ruin
Come
Tries
Great
Ruins
Trying
Bound
Good
Bounds
Men
Time
Number

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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.
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It is better to be adventurous than cautious, because fortune is a woman.
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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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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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...the incredulity of mankind, who do not truly believe in anything new until they have had actual experience of it.
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Therefore, in order not to have to rob his subjects, to be able to defend himself, not to become poor and contemptible, and not to be forced to become rapacious, a prince must consider it of little importance if he incurs the name of miser, for this is one of the vices that permits him to rule.
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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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For whoever conquers a free Town, and does not demolish it, commits a great Error, and may expect to be ruin 'd himself.
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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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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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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 peasant wants only to be left alone to prosper in peace.
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Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality. All men have eyes, but few have the gift of penetration.
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Men ought either to be well treated, or crushed.
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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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Whoever takes it upon himself to establish a commonwealth and prescribe laws must presuppose all men naturally bad, and that they will yield to their innate evil passions as often as they can do so with safety.
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With difficulty he is beaten who can estimate his own forces and those of his enemy.
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...it behooves us to adapt oneself to the times if one wants to enjoy continued good fortune.
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Every little advantage is of great moment when men have to come to blows.
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It is the duty of a man of honor to teach others the good which he has not been able to do himself because of the malignity of the times, that this good finally can be done by another more loved in heaven.
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