Wells Quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli

The Swiss are well armed and enjoy great freedom.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Men ought either to be well treated, or crushed.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

To ensure victory the troops must have confidence in themselves as well as in their commanders.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

For he who innovates will have for his enemies all those who are well off under the existing order of things, and…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

A prince need trouble little about conspiracies when the people are well disposed, but when they are hostile and hold him in…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

The innovator has for enemies all who have done well under the old, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

A prince being thus obliged to know well how to act as a beast must imitate the fox and the lion, for…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Still, a prince should make himself feared in such a way that if he does not gain love, he at any rate…

— Niccolo 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 being thus obliged to know well how to act as a beast must imitate the fox and the lion, for…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Men ought either to be well treated or crushed, because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries, of more serious ones they…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Thus it is well to seem merciful, faithful, humane, sincere, religious, and also to be so; but you must have the mind…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against;…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

One can make this generalization about men: they are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, they shun danger and are greedy for profit;…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Well used are those cruelties (if it is permitted to speak well of evil) that are carried out in a single stroke,…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

It ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

The Romans never allowed a trouble spot to remain simply to avoid going to war over it, because they knew that wars…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

An armed republic submits less easily to the rule of one of its citizens than a republic armed by foreign forces. Rome…

— Niccolo Machiavelli

From the latter he is defended by being well armed and having good allies, and if he is well armed he will…

— Niccolo Machiavelli