--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A Prince, therefore, should have no care…" description: "\"“A Prince, therefore, should have no care or thought but for war, and for the regulations and training it requires, and should apply himself exclusivel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a3/niccolo-machiavelli-368_art_a-prince-therefore-should-have-no-care-o_3059189.jpg" --- # A Prince, therefore, should have no care or thought but… ![“A Prince, therefore, should have no care or thought but for war, and for the regulations and training it requires, and should apply himself exclusively to this as his peculiar province; for war is the sole art looked for in one who rules, and is of such efficacy that it not merely maintains those…” quote by Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a3/niccolo-machiavelli-368_art_a-prince-therefore-should-have-no-care-o_3059189.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a3/niccolo-machiavelli-368_art_a-prince-therefore-should-have-no-care-o_3059189.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a3/niccolo-machiavelli-368_art_a-prince-therefore-should-have-no-care-o_3059189.jpg) > ““A Prince, therefore, should have no care or thought but for war, and for the regulations and training it requires, and should apply himself exclusively to this as his peculiar province; for war is the sole art looked for in one who rules, and is of such efficacy that it not merely maintains those who are born Princes, but often enables men to rise to that eminence from a private station; while, on the other hand, we often see that when Princes devote themselves rather to pleasure than to arms, they lose their dominions.”” [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Princes should focus solely on war and military training, as mastery of war sustains power and enables social mobility, while neglecting it leads to loss of dominion. **In simple terms:** Rulers must prioritize war and training. Key Takeaway Cultivate military competence. Themes politics war leadership Mood serious strategic Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - government - military planning - career advancement Key Concepts statecraft military strategy social mobility Questions to Reflect On - Can a ruler succeed without military focus? - What are the risks of over‑emphasizing war? A Different Perspective Neglects diplomacy and cultural development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/king/) [Princes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/princes/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [A prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war and its rules and discipline;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/a-prince-ought-to-have-no-other-aim-or-thought-nor-select-anything/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [A prince must not have any objective nor any thought, nor take up any art, other than the art of war and its ordering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/a-prince-must-not-have-any-objective-nor-any-thought-nor-take-up-any/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [We are born princes and the civilizing process makes us frogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-born-princes-and-the-civilizing-process-makes-us-frogs/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Some men,' they said, 'are born princes, and some raise themselves by their talents to be kings among men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-steedman/some-men-they-said-are-born-princes-and-some-raise-themselves-by/) [Amy Steedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-steedman/) > [“He didn't know why, but seeing her made him feel like a man. 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They may lift you with praise many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/they-may-hail-you-like-an-angel-they-may-claim-you-are-the-world-s/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Some women have kissed—and some are kissing—a lot of frogs, even though the very first man that they have each kissed was and is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-women-have-kissed-and-some-are-kissing-a-lot-of-frogs-even/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“He, therefore, who acquires such a State, if he mean to keep it, must see to two things; first, that the blood of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-therefore-who-acquires-such-a-state-if-he-mean-to-keep-it-must-see/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Princes should devolve on others those matters that entail responsibility, and reserve to themselves those that relate to grace and favour.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/princes-should-devolve-on-others-those-matters-that-entail/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [There are and always will be thousands of princes, but there is only one Beethoven!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-van-beethoven/there-are-and-always-will-be-thousands-of-princes-but-there-is-only/) [Ludwig van Beethoven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-van-beethoven/) > [In the first place, most princes apply themselves to the arts of war, in which I have neither ability nor interest, instead of to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-more/in-the-first-place-most-princes-apply-themselves-to-the-arts-of-war/) [Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-more/) > [“Princes know themselves to be princes, and are not snobs; 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another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It is the duty of a man of honor to teach others the good which he has not been able to do himself because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-the-duty-of-a-man-of-honor-to-teach-others-the-good-which-he/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who believes that new benefits make men of high station forget old injuries deceives himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-believes-that-new-benefits-make-men-of-high-station-forget/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [He who has once begun to live by rapine always finds reasons for taking what is not his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-has-once-begun-to-live-by-rapine-always-finds-reasons-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/everyone-who-wants-to-know-what-will-happen-ought-to-examine-what-has/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/speaking-generally-men-are-ungrateful-fickle-hypocritical-fearful/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [There is nothing as likely to succeed as what the enemy believes you cannot attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/there-is-nothing-as-likely-to-succeed-as-what-the-enemy-believes-you/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearance, as though they were realities and are often more influenced by the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/for-the-great-majority-of-mankind-are-satisfied-with-appearance-as/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; 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