Quotes by Niccolo Machiavelli

Never was anything great achieved without danger.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Success

It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Courage

Men rise from one ambition to another: first, they seek to secure themselves against attack, and then they attack others.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Wisdom

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.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Life

Politics have no relation to morals.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Wisdom

Men ought either to be indulged or utterly destroyed, for if you merely offend them they take vengeance, but if you injure them greatly they are unable to retaliate, so that the injury done to a man ought to be such that vengeance cannot be feared.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Courage

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.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Success

I'm not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Wisdom

There are three kinds of intelligence: one kind understands things for itself, the other appreciates what others can understand, the third understands neither for itself nor through others. This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Wisdom

He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Wisdom

Of mankind we may say in general they are fickle, hypocritical, and greedy of gain.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Wisdom

The wise man does at once what the fool does finally.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Wisdom

There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Wisdom

If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Courage

When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Wisdom

It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Wisdom

Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries - for heavy ones they cannot.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Wisdom

Hatred is gained as much by good works as by evil.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Success

The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Life

Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Success

The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Wisdom

A son can bear with equanimity the loss of his father, but the loss of his inheritance may drive him to despair.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Wisdom

Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Wisdom

It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver.

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Wisdom