Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

Quotes about:

• The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Work, Philosophical, Men

  "The Prince". Book by Niccolo Machiavelli, Ch. 22, 1513.

  353 Copy quote

  Report

• Power is the pivot on which everything hinges. He who has the power is always right; the weaker is always wrong.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Always Wrong, Hinges

  214 Copy quote

  Report

• Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Winning, Deception, Force

  213 Copy quote

  Report

• Women are the most charitable creatures, and the most troublesome. He who shuns women passes up the trouble, but also the benefits. He who puts up with them gains the benefits, but also the trouble. As the saying goes, there's no honey without bees.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Benefits, Honey, Gains

  Niccolo Machiavelli (2009). “The Essential Writings of Machiavelli”, p.456, Modern Library

  346 Copy quote

  Report

• 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.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Lions, Foxes, Traps

  Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.55, Knickerbocker Classics

  346 Copy quote

  Report

• A government which does not trust its citizens to be armed is not itself to be trusted.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Government, Doe, Citizens

  288 Copy quote

  Report

• Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Inspirational, Relationship, Marketing

  324 Copy quote

  Report
• 

  Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality. All men have eyes, but few have the gift of penetration.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Wisdom, Eye, Reality

  93 Copy quote

  Report

• A sign of intelligence is an awareness of one's own ignorance.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Ignorance, Intelligence, Awareness

  212 Copy quote

  Report

• Politics have no relation to morals.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Political, Nerd, Politics

  175 Copy quote

  Report

• One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Liars, Lying, Philosophical

  "The Prince".

  27 Copy quote

  Report

• 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.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Self Esteem, Men, Democracy

  208 Copy quote

  Report

• 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

  Men, Numbers, Trying

  260 Copy quote

  Report

• One of the great secrets of the day is to know how to take possession of popular prejudices and passions, in such a way as to introduce a confusion of principles which makes impossible all understanding between those who speak the same language and have the same interests.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Passion, Confusion, Understanding

  273 Copy quote

  Report

• How perilous it is to free a people who prefer slavery.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  People, Slavery

  32 Copy quote

  Report

• Always assume incompetence before looking for conspiracy.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Assuming, Conspiracy, Incompetence

  85 Copy quote

  Report

• I desire to go to Hell and not to Heaven. In the former I shall enjoy the company of popes, kings and princes, while in the latter are only beggars, monks and apostles

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Death, Kings, Heaven

  309 Copy quote

  Report

• It should be borne in mind that there is nothing more difficult to arrange, more doubtful of success, and more dangerous to carry through than initiating changes. The innovator makes enemies of all those who prospered under the old order, and only lukewarm support is forthcoming from those who would prosper under the new. Their support is lukewarm ... partly because men are generally incredulous, never really trusting new things unless they have tested them by experience.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Change, Men, Order

  "The Prince". Book by Niccolo Machiavelli, www.theguardian.com. 1532.

  292 Copy quote

  Report

• Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Humorous, Opportunity, Differences

  301 Copy quote

  Report

• If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Revenge, Men, Needs

  83 Copy quote

  Report

• it is better to act and repent than not to act and regret.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Regret, Repent

  178 Copy quote

  Report

• Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine...We work in the Dark, to serve the Light.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Dark, Light, Shay

  41 Copy quote

  Report

• Men are so stupid and concerned with their present needs, they will always let themselves be deceived.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Stupid, Men, Needs

  297 Copy quote

  Report

• And what physicians say about disease is applicable here: that at the beginning a disease is easy to cure but difficult to diagnose; but as time passes, not having been recognized or treated at the outset, it becomes easy to diagnose but difficult to cure. The same thing occurs in affairs of state; for by recognizing from afar the diseases that are spreading in the state (which is a gift given only to the prudent ruler), they can be cured quickly; but when, not having been recognized, they are not recognized and are left to grow to the extent that everyone recognizes them, there is no longer any cure.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Physicians, Disease, Afar

  151 Copy quote

  Report

• 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.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Gun, Eight, Rome

  6 Copy quote

  Report

Page 1 of 16

← Prev

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Next →

• facebook
• twitter
• googleplus
• email
• linkedin