King Quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli

“I say that every prince ought to desire to be considered clement and not cruel. Nevertheless he ought to take care not…

— Niccolò Machiavelli

You have to be a prince to understand the people, and you have to belong to the people to understand the princes.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

“It is necessary for a prince wishing to hold his own to know how to do wrong, and to make use of…

— Niccolò Machiavelli

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

— Niccolo Machiavelli

It is much safer for the prince to be feared than loved, but he ought to avoid making himself hated.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

“He [the prince] holds to what is right when he can but knows how to do wrong when he must.”

— Niccolò Machiavelli

…those who become princes through their skill acquire the pricipality with difficulty, buy they hold onto it with ease.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

So far as he is able, a prince should stick to the path of good but, if the necessity arises, he should…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

“Thus a wise prince will think of ways to keep his citizens of every sort and under every circumstance dependent on the…

— Niccolò Machiavelli

A prince must be prudent enough to know how to escape the bad reputation of those vices that would lose the state…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

“This again results naturally and necessarily from the circumstance that the Prince cannot avoid giving offence to his new subjects, either in…

— Niccolò Machiavelli

“Returning to the question of being feared or loved, I conclude that since men love at their own will and fear at…

— Niccolò Machiavelli

“One of the best and most efficacious methods for dealing with such a State, is for the Prince who acquires it to…

— Niccolò Machiavelli

And the prince who has relied solely on their words, without making other preparations, is ruined, for the friendship which is gained…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Any man who tries to be good all the time is bound to come to ruin among the great number who are…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

War should be the only study of a prince. He should consider peace only as a breathing-time, which gives him leisure to…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

How laudable it is for a prince to keep good faith and live with integrity, and not with astuteness, every one knows.…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

“The truth is that Machiavelli did try to obtain a position from the Medici, but he did not write The Prince in…

— Niccolò Machiavelli

Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Therefore, in order not to have to rob his subjects, to be able to defend himself, not to become poor and contemptible,…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

And here one must not that hatred is acquired just as much by means of good actions as by bad ones; and…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

“A prince, therefore, ought always to take counsel, but only when he wishes and not when others wish; he ought rather to…

— Niccolò Machiavelli

A prince must not have any objective nor any thought, nor take up any art, other than the art of war and…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

A prince, therefore, must not mind incurring the charge of cruelty for the purpose of keeping his subjects united and confident; for,…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

“I say, then, that hereditary States, accustomed to the family of their Prince, are maintained with far less difficulty than new States,…

— Niccolò Machiavelli

“A Prince is likewise esteemed who is a stanch friend and a thorough foe, that is to say, who without reserve openly…

— Niccolò Machiavelli

“For this reason a prince ought to take care that he never lets anything slip from his lips that is not replete…

— Niccolò Machiavelli

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

— Niccolò Machiavelli

Princes should delegate to others the enactment of unpopular measures and keep in their own hands the means of winning favours.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

“Princes should devolve on others those matters that entail responsibility, and reserve to themselves those that relate to grace and favour.”

— Niccolò Machiavelli

Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

To know well the nature of the people one must be a prince, and to know well the nature of princes one…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

A prince ought to have two fears, one from within, on account of his subjects, the other from without, on account of…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

“One can assess a prince’s intelligence by looking at the men with whom he surrounds himself.”

— Niccolò Machiavelli

To understand the nature of the people one must be a prince, and to understand the nature of the prince, one must…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

The best fortress which a prince can possess is the affection of his people.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Therefore, in order not to have to rob his subjects, to be able to defend himself, not to become poor and contemptible,…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

He who becomes a Prince through the favour of the people should always keep on good terms with them; which it is…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

A wise prince will seek means by which his subjects will always and in every possible condition of things have need of…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

The prince who relies upon their words, without having otherwise provided for his security, is ruined; for friendships that are won by…

— Niccolo Machiavelli