--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are much beholden to Machiavel and…" description: "\"We are much beholden to Machiavel and others, that write what men do, and not what they ought to do.\" — Francis Bacon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/francis-bacon-297_beholden_we-are-much-beholden-to-machiavel-and-ot_1793962.jpg" --- # We are much beholden to Machiavel and others, that write… ![“We are much beholden to Machiavel and others, that write what men do, and not what they ought to do.” quote by Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/francis-bacon-297_beholden_we-are-much-beholden-to-machiavel-and-ot_1793962.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/francis-bacon-297_beholden_we-are-much-beholden-to-machiavel-and-ot_1793962.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/francis-bacon-297_beholden_we-are-much-beholden-to-machiavel-and-ot_1793962.jpg) > “We are much beholden to Machiavel and others, that write what men do, and not what they ought to do.” [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often describe what actually happens rather than what should happen, reflecting a pragmatic view of human behavior. **In simple terms:** People describe reality, not ideals. Key Takeaway Recognize the gap between description and prescription. Themes pragmatism ethics human nature Mood reflective critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - policy analysis - leadership - historical study Key Concepts political theory moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance descriptive realism with normative goals? - When should we prioritize ideals over facts? A Different Perspective Idealism may overlook practical constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beholden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beholden/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [Men are rather beholden ... generally to chance or anything else, than to logic, for the invention of arts and sciences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/men-are-rather-beholden-generally-to-chance-or-anything-else-than-to/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [If you write for God you will reach many men and bring them joy. If you write for men--you may make some money and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-you-write-for-god-you-will-reach-many-men-and-bring-them-joy-if/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Too much is written by the men who can't write about the men who do write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/too-much-is-written-by-the-men-who-can-t-write-about-the-men-who-do/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [“The element of craftsmanship in poetry is obscured by the fact that all men are taught to speak and most to read and write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-element-of-craftsmanship-in-poetry-is-obscured-by-the-fact-that/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [“Now, it’s undeniably true that male writers (including yours truly) are generally and commercially allowed to write about “girl stuff” without being penalized for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/now-it-s-undeniably-true-that-male-writers-including-yours-truly-are/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [Nobody ever has a problem if a man writes a woman. I wanted to be able to say, 'Well, I can write your men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-joy/nobody-ever-has-a-problem-if-a-man-writes-a-woman-i-wanted-to-be-able/) [Lisa Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-joy/) > [“February 13, 1936 I ask of people more than they can give me. It is useless to maintain the contrary. But what a mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/february-13-1936-i-ask-of-people-more-than-they-can-give-me-it-is/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [For writers, you just have to have the ability to not restrict your imagination. Men can write about women; women can write about men.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-o-malley/for-writers-you-just-have-to-have-the-ability-to-not-restrict-your/) [Mike O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-o-malley/) > [I write about the men you want to read about but don't necessarily want to be married to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/i-write-about-the-men-you-want-to-read-about-but-don-t-necessarily/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [Naturally, my stories are about women - I'm a woman. I don't know what the term is for men who write mostly about men.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/naturally-my-stories-are-about-women-i-m-a-woman-i-don-t-know-what-2/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [“I’m an American, I’m a Jew, and I write for all men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-malamud/i-m-an-american-i-m-a-jew-and-i-write-for-all-men/) [Bernard Malamud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-malamud/) > [“Someone recently asked me to write about men's problems in life. She said "I can see pain in a man's eyes! Why don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/someone-recently-asked-me-to-write-about-men-s-problems-in-life-she/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [I owe nobody anything. I'm beholden to nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hardy/i-owe-nobody-anything-i-m-beholden-to-nobody/) [Dan Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hardy/) > [I've never believed that 'Idol' as a franchise is beholden to any individual because everybody said it would die the minute Simon Cowell left,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-lythgoe/i-ve-never-believed-that-idol-as-a-franchise-is-beholden-to-any/) [Nigel Lythgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-lythgoe/) > [“Be beholden to no one, he had said. Make sure you owe nobody any favors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/be-beholden-to-no-one-he-had-said-make-sure-you-owe-nobody-any-favors/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) ## More by Francis Bacon > [Princes are like heavenly bodies, which cause good or evil times, and which have much veneration, but no rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/princes-are-like-heavenly-bodies-which-cause-good-or-evil-times-and/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The best preservative to keep the mind in health is the faithful admonition of a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-best-preservative-to-keep-the-mind-in-health-is-the-faithful/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Since custom is the principal magistrate of man's life, let men by all means endeavor to obtain good customs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/since-custom-is-the-principal-magistrate-of-man-s-life-let-men-by-all/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Painting today is pure intuition and luck and taking advantage of what happens when you splash the stuff down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/painting-today-is-pure-intuition-and-luck-and-taking-advantage-of/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I usually accept bribes from both sides so that tainted money can never influence my decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-usually-accept-bribes-from-both-sides-so-that-tainted-money-can/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Much bending breaks the bow; much unbending the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/much-bending-breaks-the-bow-much-unbending-the-mind/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [When Christ came into the world, peace was sung; and when He went out of the world, peace was bequeathed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/when-christ-came-into-the-world-peace-was-sung-and-when-he-went-out/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [...neither is it possible to discover the more remote and deeper parts of any science, if you stand but upon the level of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/neither-is-it-possible-to-discover-the-more-remote-and-deeper-parts/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The divisions of science are not like different lines that meet in one angle, but rather like the branches of trees that join in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-divisions-of-science-are-not-like-different-lines-that-meet-in/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The human understanding, when any preposition has been once laid down... forces everything else to add fresh support and confirmation; and although more cogent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-human-understanding-when-any-preposition-has-been-once-laid-down/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I should have been, I don't know, a con-man, a robber or a prostitute. But it was vanity that made me choose painting, vanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-should-have-been-i-don-t-know-a-con-man-a-robber-or-a-prostitute/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Wounds cannot be cured without searching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/wounds-cannot-be-cured-without-searching/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The French are wiser than they seem, and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-french-are-wiser-than-they-seem-and-the-spaniards-seem-wiser-than/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [When a man laughs at his troubles he loses a great many friends. They never forgive the loss of their prerogative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/when-a-man-laughs-at-his-troubles-he-loses-a-great-many-friends-they/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Believing that I was born for the service of mankind, and regarding the care of the commonwealth as a kind of common property which,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/believing-that-i-was-born-for-the-service-of-mankind-and-regarding/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) [Explore all 711 Francis Bacon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## More Beholden quotes > [“Be beholden to no one, he had said. Make sure you owe nobody any favors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/be-beholden-to-no-one-he-had-said-make-sure-you-owe-nobody-any-favors/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [I've never believed that 'Idol' as a franchise is beholden to any individual because everybody said it would die the minute Simon Cowell left,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-lythgoe/i-ve-never-believed-that-idol-as-a-franchise-is-beholden-to-any/) [Nigel Lythgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-lythgoe/) > [I owe nobody anything. I'm beholden to nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hardy/i-owe-nobody-anything-i-m-beholden-to-nobody/) [Dan Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hardy/) > [“If beauty is in the eye of the beholder than consider yourself beholden.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/if-beauty-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder-than-consider-yourself/) Truth Devour > [God is not beholden to us at all. He doesn't owe us anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/god-is-not-beholden-to-us-at-all-he-doesn-t-owe-us-anything/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [The Shins is, in a way, a recording project that turned into a live band. So I don't really keep myself beholden to any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/the-shins-is-in-a-way-a-recording-project-that-turned-into-a-live/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [“You are a woman; this is your body. You are beholden to no one, Ke-Han or Volstovic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-bennett/you-are-a-woman-this-is-your-body-you-are-beholden-to-no-one-ke-han/) [Danielle Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-bennett/) > [“I go where I want to go, I do what I want to do, and I am beholden to no one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-m-derobertis/i-go-where-i-want-to-go-i-do-what-i-want-to-do-and-i-am-beholden-to/) Mark M. DeRobertis > [“There's nothing worse in the world than to owe and be beholden to anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/there-s-nothing-worse-in-the-world-than-to-owe-and-be-beholden-to/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [The simple fact is we do not live in a democracy. Certainly not the kind our Founding Fathers intended. We live in a corporate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-van-zandt/the-simple-fact-is-we-do-not-live-in-a-democracy-certainly-not-the/) [Steven Van Zandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-van-zandt/) > [It is time to celebrate the New Black Americans - those who have sealed the Deal, who aren't beholden to liberal indulgence any more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/it-is-time-to-celebrate-the-new-black-americans-those-who-have-sealed/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [We can't be beholden to the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-liefeld/we-can-t-be-beholden-to-the-past/) [Rob Liefeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-liefeld/) > [I am beholden to calumny, that she hath so endeavored to belie me.-It shall make me set a surer guard on myself, and keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/i-am-beholden-to-calumny-that-she-hath-so-endeavored-to-belie-me-it/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [I don't think there's an interesting boundary between philosophy and science. Science is totally beholden to philosophy. There are philosophical assumptions in science and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/i-don-t-think-there-s-an-interesting-boundary-between-philosophy-and/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [When leaders are no longer beholden to the people who elected them, corruption results and the recruitment of extremists becomes easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iqbal-quadir/when-leaders-are-no-longer-beholden-to-the-people-who-elected-them/) [Iqbal Quadir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iqbal-quadir/) [Browse all 35 Beholden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beholden/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are much beholden to Machiavel and others, that write what men do, and not what they ought to do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francis Bacon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/we-are-much-beholden-to-machiavel-and-others-that-write-what-men-do/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beholden" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/we-are-much-beholden-to-machiavel-and-others-that-write-what-men-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/francis-bacon-297_beholden_we-are-much-beholden-to-machiavel-and-ot_1793962.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/francis-bacon-297_beholden_we-are-much-beholden-to-machiavel-and-ot_1793962.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/francis-bacon-297_beholden_we-are-much-beholden-to-machiavel-and-ot_1793962.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are much beholden to Machiavel and others, that write what men do, and not what they ought to do.” — Francis Bacon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Francis Bacon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We are much beholden to Machiavel...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/we-are-much-beholden-to-machiavel-and-others-that-write-what-men-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/we-are-much-beholden-to-machiavel-and-others-that-write-what-men-do/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```