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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

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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
Doe
City
Justify
May
Becomes
Destroyed
Always
Cities
Destroy
Name
Master
Liberty
Ancient
Names
Institutions
Anyone
Expect
Accustomed
Freedom
Masters
Rebellion

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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.
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Among other evils which being unarmed brings you, it causes you to be despised.
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Is it better to be loved or feared?
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For government consists in nothing else but so controlling subjects that they shall neither be able to, nor have cause to do [it] harm.
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The wise man does at once what the fool does finally.
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Tardiness often robs us opportunity, and the dispatch of our forces.
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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.
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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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Appear as you may wish to be
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Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not to suffer.
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We must distinguish between those who depend on others, that is between those who to achieve their purposes can force the issue and those who must use persuasion. In the second case, they always come to grief, having achieved nothing when, however, they depend on their own resources and can force the issue, then they are seldom endangered.
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A wise man will see to it that his acts always seem voluntary and not done by compulsion, however much he may be compelled by necessity.
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Thus it is well to seem merciful, faithful, humane, sincere, religious, and also to be so but you must have the mind so disposed that when it is needful to be otherwise you may be able to change to the opposite qualities.
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Every little advantage is of great moment when men have to come to blows.
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....for friendships that are acquired by a price and not by greatness and nobility of character are purchased but are not owned, and at the proper moment they cannot be spent.
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The best fortress which a prince can possess is the affection of his people.
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It is better to be adventurous than cautious, because fortune is a woman.
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One man should not be afraid of improving his posessions, lest they be taken away from him, or another deterred by high taxes from starting a new business. Rather, the Prince should be ready to reward men who want to do these things and those who endeavour in any way to increase the prosperity of their city or their state.
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A son could bear with great complacency, the death of his father, while the loss of his inheritance might drive him to despair.
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One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others.
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