Companion Quote by Francesco Guicciardini
“Conspiracies, since they cannot be engaged in without the fellowship of others, are for that reason most perilous; for as most men are either fools or knaves, we run excessive risk in making such folk our companions.”
About This Quote
Source Book: History of Italy, 1550, by Francesco Guicciardini
Conspiracies are dangerous because they rely on group participation, and most people are either naive or malicious, increasing the risk of bad companions.
In simple terms: Conspiracies need allies and are risky because people can be foolish or deceitful.
Key Takeaway
Beware who you trust in secret plans.
Themes
trust
danger
social dynamics
Mood
cautious
skeptical
Type
advisory
critical
When to use this quote
- political movements
- secret societies
- collaborative projects
- risk assessment
Key Concepts
political intrigue
human nature
Questions to Reflect On
- Who would you trust with a secret plan?
- How can you mitigate risk in group ventures?
A Different Perspective
Even trusted allies can betray you, making conspiracies inherently unstable.
![“[Con] men have long known . . . that their job is not to convince skeptics but to enable the gullible to continue to believe what they want to believe.” quote by Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d58/thomas-sowell-247_believe_con-men-have-long-known-that-their-job-i_2565376.jpg)
![“There is no evil in human affairs that has not some good mingled with it. [It., Non e male alcuno nelle cose umane che non abbia congiunto seco qualche bene.]” quote by Francesco Guicciardini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/596/francesco-guicciardini-20043_affair_there-is-no-evil-in-human-affairs-that-h_1158114.jpg)
![“[A cat] will make itself the companion of your hours of work, of loneliness, or of sadness.” quote by Theophile Gautier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a3d/theophile-gautier-7224_cat_a-cat-will-make-itself-the-companion-of_34315.jpg)