--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is simply no comparison between a…" description: "\"There is simply no comparison between a man who is armed and one who is not. It is simply unreasonable to expect that an armed man should obey one who ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/niccolo-machiavelli-368_art_there-is-simply-no-comparison-between-a_2989931.jpg" --- # There is simply no comparison between a man who is armed… ![“There is simply no comparison between a man who is armed and one who is not. It is simply unreasonable to expect that an armed man should obey one who is unarmed, or that an unarmed man should remain safe and secure when his servants are armed.” quote by Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/niccolo-machiavelli-368_art_there-is-simply-no-comparison-between-a_2989931.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/niccolo-machiavelli-368_art_there-is-simply-no-comparison-between-a_2989931.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/niccolo-machiavelli-368_art_there-is-simply-no-comparison-between-a_2989931.jpg) > “There is simply no comparison between a man who is armed and one who is not. It is simply unreasonable to expect that an armed man should obey one who is unarmed, or that an unarmed man should remain safe and secure when his servants are armed.” [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. Power dynamics favor the armed; expecting obedience from the unarmed is unreasonable. **In simple terms:** Armed individuals hold power over the unarmed. Key Takeaway Recognize and address power imbalances. Themes power authority obedience security Mood cautious analytical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - leadership - law enforcement - personal safety - conflict resolution Key Concepts political realism military strength Questions to Reflect On - When is force justified? - How can non‑violent authority be established? A Different Perspective Violence may not always secure safety; moral costs exist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Armed Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armed-man-859901/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art of war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-of-war/) [Comparison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comparison/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Obey Unarmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obey-unarmed-4693631/) [Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe/) [Secure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secure/) [Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Unarmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unarmed/) [Unarmed Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unarmed-man-859899/) [Unarmed Unarmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unarmed-unarmed-4693632/) [Unreasonable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unreasonable/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [For an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/for-an-unarmed-man-may-be-attacked-with-greater-confidence-than-an/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [An armed man will kill an unarmed man with monotonous regularity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-smith/an-armed-man-will-kill-an-unarmed-man-with-monotonous-regularity/) [Clint Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-smith/) > [The laws that forbid the carrying of arms... serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-beccaria/the-laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-serve-rather-to-encourage/) [Cesare Beccaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-beccaria/) > [The unarmed man is not just defenseless - he is also contemptible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/the-unarmed-man-is-not-just-defenseless-he-is-also-contemptible/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [A man was the cause of it. An unarmed man with a weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-o-hara/a-man-was-the-cause-of-it-an-unarmed-man-with-a-weapon/) [Frank O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-o-hara/) > [I refuse to engage in an intellectual battle with an unarmed man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-refuse-to-engage-in-an-intellectual-battle-with-an-unarmed-man/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I can't see how an unarmed man rejecting a drug deal ended up dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/i-can-t-see-how-an-unarmed-man-rejecting-a-drug-deal-ended-up-dead/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [A man was the cause of it all. An unarmed man with a weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-o-hara/a-man-was-the-cause-of-it-all-an-unarmed-man-with-a-weapon/) [Frank O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-o-hara/) > [I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-refuse-to-have-a-battle-of-wits-with-an-unarmed-man/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/an-unarmed-man-can-only-flee-from-evil-and-evil-is-not-overcome-by/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Never engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/never-engage-in-a-battle-of-wits-with-an-unarmed-man/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [An armed republic submits less easily to the rule of one of its citizens than a republic armed by foreign forces. Rome and Sparta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/an-armed-republic-submits-less-easily-to-the-rule-of-one-of-its/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [All the armed prophets conquered; all the unarmed ones perished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/all-the-armed-prophets-conquered-all-the-unarmed-ones-perished/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Among other evils which being unarmed brings you, it causes you to be despised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/among-other-evils-which-being-unarmed-brings-you-it-causes-you-to-be/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Hence it happened that all the armed prophets conquered, all the unarmed perished. \[It., Di qui nacque che tutti li profeti armati vincero, e…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/hence-it-happened-that-all-the-armed-prophets-conquered-all-the/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## 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 Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is simply no comparison between a man who is armed and one who is not. It is simply unreasonable to expect that an armed man should obey one who is unarmed, or that an unarmed man should remain safe and secure when his servants are armed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Niccolo Machiavelli" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/there-is-simply-no-comparison-between-a-man-who-is-armed-and-one-who/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/there-is-simply-no-comparison-between-a-man-who-is-armed-and-one-who/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/niccolo-machiavelli-368_art_there-is-simply-no-comparison-between-a_2989931.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/niccolo-machiavelli-368_art_there-is-simply-no-comparison-between-a_2989931.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/niccolo-machiavelli-368_art_there-is-simply-no-comparison-between-a_2989931.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is simply no comparison between a man who is armed and one who is not. It is simply unreasonable to…” — Niccolo Machiavelli", "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": "Niccolo Machiavelli", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is simply no comparison between...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/there-is-simply-no-comparison-between-a-man-who-is-armed-and-one-who/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/there-is-simply-no-comparison-between-a-man-who-is-armed-and-one-who/#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 } } ] } ```