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Men are so stupid and concerned with their present needs, they will always let themselves be deceived.
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
Deceived
Concerned
Stupid
Present
Needs
Always
More quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli
Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.
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Men walk almost always in the paths trodden by others, proceeding in their actions by imitation.
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God creates men, but they choose each other.
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I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for adulation is lacking.
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Rome remained free for four hundred years and Sparta eight hundred, although their citizens were armed all that time but many other states that have been disarmed have lost their liberties in less than forty years.
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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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The prince who relies upon their words, without having otherwise provided for his security, is ruined for friendships that are won by awards, and not by greatness and nobility of soul, although deserved, yet are not real, and cannot be depended upon in time of adversity.
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It is necessary for him who lays out a state and arranges laws for it to presuppose that all men are evil and that they are always going to act according to the wickedness of their spirits whenever they have free scope.
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You know better than I that in a Republic talent is always suspect. A man attains an elevated position only when his mediocrity prevents him from being a threat to others. And for this reason a democracy is never governed by the most competent, but rather by those whose insignificance will not jeopardize anyone else's self-esteem.
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Occasionally words must serve to veil the facts. But let this happen in such a way that no one become aware of it or, if it should be noticed, excuses must be at hand to be produced immediately.
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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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When men receive favours from someone they expected to do them ill, they are under a greater obligation to their benefactor.
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Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries - for heavy ones they cannot.
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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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Princes should delegate to others the enactment of unpopular measures and keep in their own hands the means of winning favours.
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There is no surer sign of decay in a country than to see the rites of religion held in contempt.
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A prince is also respected when he is a true friend and a true enemy that is, when he declares himself on the side of one prince against another without any reservation.
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A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example.
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Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.
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How perilous it is to free a people who prefer slavery.
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