Quote

Although deceit is detestable in all other things, yet in the conduct of war it is laudable and honorable and a commander who vanquishes an enemy by stratagem is equally praised with one who gains victory by force.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

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
Equally
Stratagem
Gains
Vanquish
Although
Praised
Victory
Commander
Enemy
Commanders
Force
Deceit
War
Honorable
Laudable
Things
Conduct
Detestable

More quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli

Image
How we live is so different from how we ought to live that he who studies what ought to be done rather than what is done will learn the way to his downfall rather than to his preservation.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not to suffer.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
...the incredulity of mankind, who do not truly believe in anything new until they have had actual experience of it.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
The world has always been the same and there is always as much good fortune as bad in it.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
Without doubt, ferocious and disordered men are much weaker than timid and ordered ones. For order chases fear from men and disorder lessens ferocity.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
A wise ruler should rely on what is under his own control, not on what is under the control of others.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
And it will always happen that he who is not your friend will request your neutrality and he who is your friend will ask you to declare yourself by taking up arms. And irresolute princes, in order to avoid present dangers, follow the neutral road most of the time, and most of the time they are ruined.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
A prudent man should always follow in the path trodden by great men and imitate those who are most excellent, so that if he does not attain to their greatness, at any rate he will get some tinge of it.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
Men nearly always follow the tracks made by others and proceed in their affairs by imitation, even though they cannot entirely keep to the tracks of others or emulate the prowess of their models. So a prudent man should always follow in the footsteps of great men and imitate those who have been outstanding.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
The forces of adversaries are more diminished by the loss of those who flee than of those who are killed.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
War brings out thieves and peace hangs them.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
Sometimes it has been of great moment while the fight is going on, to disseminate words that pronounce the enemies' captain to be dead, or to have been conquered by another part of the army. Many times this has given victory to him who used it.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
Anyone who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it may expect to be destroyed by it for such a city may always justify rebellion in the name of liberty and its ancient institutions.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
There is nothing as likely to succeed as what the enemy believes you cannot attempt.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries - for heavy ones they cannot.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
There is no other way to guard yourself against flattery than by making men understand that telling you the truth will not offend you.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Image
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.
Niccolo Machiavelli