Prince Quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli

The prince must be a lion, but he must also know how to play the fox.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

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

— Niccolò Machiavelli

A prince is also esteemed when he is a true friend and a true enemy.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

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

— Niccolò Machiavelli

A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise.

— Niccolo 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

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

— 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

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

— Niccolo Machiavelli

A prince must not have any other object nor any other thought… but war, its institutions, and its discipline; because that is…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

“Being feared and not hated go well together, and the prince can always do this if he does not touch the property…

— Niccolò Machiavelli

“For since a Prince by birth has fewer occasions and less need to give offence, he ought to be better loved, and…

— Niccolò Machiavelli

It is necessary that the prince should know how to color his nature well, and how to be a hypocrite and dissembler.…

— Niccolo 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

For that reason, let a prince have the credit of conquering and holding his state, the means will always be considered honest,…

— 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

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

— Niccolo Machiavelli

“It's better to be impulsive than cautious; fortune is female and if you want to stay on top of her you have…

— Niccolò Machiavelli

The prince must consider, as has been in part said before, how to avoid those things which will make him hated or…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

“A Prince, therefore, should have no care or thought but for war, and for the regulations and training it requires, and should…

— Niccolò Machiavelli