Art Of War Quotes - Page 13

• And when he is obliged to take the life of any one, to do so when there is a proper justification and manifest reason for it; but above all he must abstain from taking the property of others, for men forget more easily the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, Father, War

  Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.53, Race Point Publishing

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• Then also pretexts for seizing property are never wanting, and one who begins to live by rapine will always find some reason for taking the goods of others, whereas causes for taking life are rarer and more quickly destroyed.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, War, Causes

  "The Prince". Book by Niccolò Machiavelli, ch. 17, 1513.

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• You must know, then, that there are two methods of fighting, the one by law, the other by force: the first method is that of men, the second of beasts; but as the first method is often insufficient, one must have recourse to the second.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, War, Fighting

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

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• Know the enemy, know yourself; your victory will never be endangered. Know the ground, know the weather; your victory will then be total.

  Sun Tzu

  Art, War, Weather

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• How laudable it is for a prince to keep good faith and live with integrity, and not with astuteness, every one knows. Still the experience of our times shows those princes to have done great things who have had little regard for good faith, and have been able by astuteness to confuse men's brains, and who have ultimately overcome those who have made loyalty their foundation.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Loyalty, Art, Integrity

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

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• If someone puts up the argument that King Louis gave the Romagna to Pope Alexander, and the kingdom of Naples to Spain, in order to avoid a war, I would answer as I did before: that you should never let things get out of hand in order to avoid war. You don't avoid such a war, you merely postpone it, to your own disadvantage.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, Kings, War

  "The Prince". Book by Niccolò Machiavelli, ch. 3, as translated by RM Adams, 1513.

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• I assert once again as a truth to which history as a whole bears witness that men may second their fortune, but cannot oppose it; that they may weave its warp, but cannot break it. Yet they should never give up, because there is always hope, though they know not the end and more towards it along roads which cross one another and as yet are unexplored; and since there is hope, they should not despair, no matter what fortune brings or in what travail they find themselves.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, Giving Up, War

  "Discourses on Livy" by Niccolò Machiavelli, book 2, ch. 29, as translated by LJ Walker and B Crick, 1517.

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• The end of the republic is to enervate and to weaken all other bodies so as to increase its own body.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, War, Body

  "Discourses on Livy" by Niccolò Machiavelli, book 2, ch. 3, translation by Mansfield and Tarcov, 1517.

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• The people resemble a wild beast, which, naturally fierce and accustomed to live in the woods, has been brought up, as it were, in a prison and in servitude, and having by accident got its liberty, not being accustomed to search for its food, and not knowing where to conceal itself, easily becomes the prey of the first who seeks to incarcerate it again.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, War, Knowing

  "Discourses on Livy" by Niccolò Machiavelli, book 1, ch. 16, 1517.

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• I am firmly convinced, therefore, that to set up a republic which is to last a long time, the way to set about it is to constitute it as Sparta and Venice were constituted; to place it in a strong position, and so to fortify it that no one will dream of taking it by a sudden assault; and, on the other hand, not to make it so large as to appear formidable to its neighbors. It should in this way be able to enjoy its form of government for a long time. For war is made on a commonwealth for two reasons: to subjugate it, and for fear of being subjugated by it.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Dream, Art, Strong

  "Discourses on Livy" by Niccolò Machiavelli, book 1, ch. 3, as translated by LJ Walker and B Crick, 1517.

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• And if such malignity is hidden for a time, it proceeds from the unknown reason that would not be known because the experience of the contrary had not been seen, but time, which is said to be the father of every truth, will cause it to be discovered.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, Father, War

  "Discourses on Livy". Book by Niccolo Machiavelli, Book 1, Ch. 3, 1517.

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• When the enemy's envoy's speak in humble terms, but continues his preparations, he will advance. When their language is deceptive but the enemy pretentiously advances, he will retreat. When the envoys speak in apologetic terms, he wishes a respite. When without a previous understanding the enemy asks for a truce, he is plotting. When the enemy sees an advantage but does not advance to seize it, he is fatigued.

  Sun Tzu

  Art, War, Humble

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• To capture an enemies army is better than to destroy it.

  Sun Tzu

  Art, War, Army

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• Many have imagined republics and principalities which have never been seen or known to exist in reality; for how we live is so far removed from how we ought to live, that he who abandons what is done for what ought to be done, will rather bring about his own ruin than his preservation.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, War, Reality

  Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.48, Race Point Publishing

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• I say that every prince must desire to be considered merciful and not cruel. He must, however, take care not to misuse this mercifulness.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, War, Desire

  Niccolo Machiavelli (2017). “The Prince”, p.52, Knickerbocker Classics

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• God and nature have thrown all human fortunes into the midst of mankind; and they are thus attainable rather by rapine than by industry, by wicked actions rather than by good. Hence it is that men feed upon each other, and those who cannot defend themselves must be worried.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, War, Men

  Niccolo Machiavelli (2018). “History of Florence and the Affairs of Italy”, p.115, Ozymandias Press

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• So in all human affairs one notices, if one examines them closely, that it is impossible to remove one inconvenience without another emerging.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, War, Impossible

  "Discourses on Livy" by Niccolò Machiavelli, book 1, ch. 3, as translated by LJ Walker and B Crick, 1517.

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• As water shapes its flow in accordance with the ground, so an army manages its victory in accordance with the situation of the enemy.

  Sun Tzu

  Art, War, Army

  Sun Tzu, Shang Yang (1997). “The Art of War”, p.33, Wordsworth Editions

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• Victory is the main object in war.

  Sun Tzu

  Art, War, Victory

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• The Romans never allowed a trouble spot to remain simply to avoid going to war over it, because they knew that wars don't just go away, they are only postponed to someone else's advantage. Therefore, they made war with Philip and Antiochus in Greece, in order not to have to fight them in Italy... They never went by that saying which you constantly hear from the wiseacres of our day, that time heals all things. They trusted rather their own character and prudence- knowing perfectly well that time contains the seeds of all things, good as well as bad.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, War, Character

  "The Prince". Book by Niccolò Machiavelli, ch. 3, 1513.

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• Good generals select intelligent officers, thoughtful advisors, and brave subordinates. They oversee their troops like a fierce tiger with wings.

  Zhuge Liang

  Leadership, Art, War

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• That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; for, provided it is well known that he is an excellent man and revered by his people, he can only be attacked with difficulty.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, War, Men

  Niccolo Machiavelli (2010). “The Prince”, p.76, FastPencil Inc

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• A prince ought to have two fears, one from within, on account of his subjects, the other from without, on account of external powers.

  Niccolo Machiavelli

  Art, War, Two

  Niccolo Machiavelli (2015). “The Prince”, p.80, Xist Publishing

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• Ponder and deliberate before you make your move. He will conquer who has learned the artifice of deviation. Such is the art of maneuvering.

  Sun Tzu

  Art, War, Moving

  Sun Tzu, Musashi Miyamoto, Inazo Nitobe (2016). “The Art of War - a Samurai Master Class”, p.25, Lulu.com

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• He whose ranks are united in purpose will be victorious.

  Sun Tzu

  Art, War, Purpose

  Gerald A Michaelson, Steven W Michaelson, Sun-tzu (2003). “Sun Tzu For Success: How to Use the Art of War to Master Challenges and Accomplish the Important Goals in Your Life”, p.120, Simon and Schuster

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