Niccolò Machiavelli, 1469 - 1527
Posthumous portrait by Santi di Tito (late 16th century)
Born: 3 May 1469, Firenze
Died: 21 June 1527, Firenze
Biography from Wikipedia
Niccolo Machiavelli quotes:
Quotes found : 94 — (15 per page, this is page 1 of 7) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next
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- A man who is used to acting in one way never changes; he must come to ruin when the times, in changing, no longer are in harmony with his ways. permalink
Niccolo Machiavelli - Il Principe, English: The Prince (1513, published 1532) - A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise. permalink
Niccolo Machiavelli - Il Principe, English: The Prince (1513, published 1532) - 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. permalink
Niccolo Machiavelli - Il Principe, English: The Prince (1513, published 1532) - A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example. permalink
Niccolo Machiavelli - A son can bear with equanimity the loss of his father, but the loss of his inheritance may drive him to despair. permalink
Niccolo Machiavelli - A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests. permalink
Niccolo Machiavelli - All armed prophets have been victorious, and all unarmed prophets have been destroyed. permalink
Niccolo Machiavelli - All courses of action are risky, so prudence is not in avoiding danger (it's impossible), but calculating risk and acting decisively. Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer. permalink
Niccolo Machiavelli - Ambition is so powerful a passion in the human breast, that however high we reach we are never satisfied. permalink
Niccolo Machiavelli - And in examining their life and deeds it will be seen that they owed nothing to fortune but the opportunity which gave them matter to be shaped into the form that they thought fit; and without that opportunity their powers would have been wasted, and without their powers the opportunity would have come in vain. permalink
Niccolo Machiavelli - Il Principe, English: The Prince (1513, published 1532) - And it ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. permalink
Niccolo Machiavelli - And truly it is a very natural and ordinary thing to desire to acquire, and always, when men do it who can, they will be praised or not blamed; but when they cannot, and wish to do it anyway, here lies the error and the blame. permalink
Niccolo Machiavelli - Il Principe, English: The Prince (1513, published 1532) - Appear as you may wish to be. permalink
Niccolo Machiavelli - Because just as good morals, if they are to be maintained, have need of the laws, so the laws, if they are to be observed, have need of good morals. permalink
Niccolo Machiavelli - Il Principe, English: The Prince (1513, published 1532) - Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new. permalink
Niccolo Machiavelli
Quotes found : 94 — (15 per page, this is page 1 of 7) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next
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