--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A prudent man should always follow in the…" description: "\"A prudent man should always follow in the path trodden by great men and imitate those who are most excellent, so that if he does not attain to their gr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/niccolo-machiavelli-368_doe_a-prudent-man-should-always-follow-in-th_780586.jpg" --- # A prudent man should always follow in the path trodden by… ![“A prudent man should always follow in the path trodden by great men and imitate those who are most excellent, so that if he does not attain to their greatness, at any rate he will get some tinge of it.” quote by Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/niccolo-machiavelli-368_doe_a-prudent-man-should-always-follow-in-th_780586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/niccolo-machiavelli-368_doe_a-prudent-man-should-always-follow-in-th_780586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/niccolo-machiavelli-368_doe_a-prudent-man-should-always-follow-in-th_780586.jpg) > “A prudent man should always follow in the path trodden by great men and imitate those who are most excellent, so that if he does not attain to their greatness, at any rate he will get some tinge of it.” [Niccolo 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. Emulating great men offers a chance to achieve partial excellence, even if full greatness is unattainable. **In simple terms:** Copy great people to gain some excellence. Key Takeaway Learn from the best. Themes leadership imitation excellence Mood cautious strategic Type political philosophical When to use this quote - career development - political ambition - personal growth Key Concepts Machiavellian strategy historical models Questions to Reflect On - Which virtues will you adopt? - When is imitation harmful? A Different Perspective Blind imitation can stifle originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) ## Related quotes > [Men nearly always follow the tracks made by others and proceed in their affairs by imitation, even though they cannot entirely keep to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-nearly-always-follow-the-tracks-made-by-others-and-proceed-in-2/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Men nearly always follow the tracks made by others and proceed in their affairs by imitation, even though they cannot entirely keep to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-nearly-always-follow-the-tracks-made-by-others-and-proceed-in/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [A prudent man... must behave like those archers who, if they are skillful, when the target seems too distant, know the capabilities of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/a-prudent-man-must-behave-like-those-archers-who-if-they-are-skillful/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [I never knew an early-rising, hard-working, prudent man, careful of his earnings, and strictly honest who complained of bad luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-never-knew-an-early-rising-hard-working-prudent-man-careful-of-his/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [God is the only being who has time enough; but a prudent man, who knows how to seize occasion, can commonly make a shift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/god-is-the-only-being-who-has-time-enough-but-a-prudent-man-who-knows/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Sufficiency in thought makes a prudent man wants nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-jankada/sufficiency-in-thought-makes-a-prudent-man-wants-nothing/) [Dr Jankada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-jankada/) > [Tis hard to fight with anger but the prudent man keeps it under control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/democritus/tis-hard-to-fight-with-anger-but-the-prudent-man-keeps-it-under/) [Democritus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/democritus/) > [The prudent man really frames his own fortunes for himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/the-prudent-man-really-frames-his-own-fortunes-for-himself/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [In marrying, a man does not, to be sure, marry his wife's mother; and yet a prudent man, when he begins to think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/in-marrying-a-man-does-not-to-be-sure-marry-his-wife-s-mother-and-yet/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [I never knew an early-rising, hard-working, prudent man, careful of his earnings and strictly honest, who complained of hard luck. A good character, good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/i-never-knew-an-early-rising-hard-working-prudent-man-careful-of-his-2/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“tis the part of a truly prudent man not to be wise beyond his condition, but either to take no notice of what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus-roterodamus/tis-the-part-of-a-truly-prudent-man-not-to-be-wise-beyond-his/) [Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus-roterodamus/) > [“The prudent man always studies seriously and earnestly to understand whatever he professes to understand, and not merely to persuade other people that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-prudent-man-always-studies-seriously-and-earnestly-to-understand/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [A prudent man will think more important what fate has conceded to him, than what it has denied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/a-prudent-man-will-think-more-important-what-fate-has-conceded-to-him/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [A trifle is often pregnant with high importance; the prudent man neglects no circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/a-trifle-is-often-pregnant-with-high-importance-the-prudent-man/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [The prudent man does himself good; the virtuous one does it to other men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-prudent-man-does-himself-good-the-virtuous-one-does-it-to-other/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## More by Niccolo Machiavelli > [Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-generally-decide-upon-a-middle-course-which-is-most-hazardous-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; 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; for, provided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/that-prince-is-highly-esteemed-who-conveys-this-impression-of-himself/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who studies present and ancient affairs will easily see how in all cities and all peoples there still exist, and have always existed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-studies-present-and-ancient-affairs-will-easily-see-how-in/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to-praise-without-concern-any/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Men are always averse to enterprises in which they foresee difficulties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-always-averse-to-enterprises-in-which-they-foresee/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“He who causes another to become powerful ruins himself, for he brings such a power into being either by design or by force, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-causes-another-to-become-powerful-ruins-himself-for-he-brings/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [One never finds anything perfectly pure and ... exempt from danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/one-never-finds-anything-perfectly-pure-and-exempt-from-danger/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) [Explore all 590 Niccolo Machiavelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## More Doe quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; 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