Niccolo Machiavelli: His Words
By Daniel Coenn
First Edition
Copyright © 2014 by Daniel Coenn
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Niccolo Machiavelli: His Words
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Quotes
“The ends justify the means.” "
“History is written by the victors.”
“It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.”
“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”
“Men must either be caressed or else destroyed.”
“War is not so to be avoided, but is only deferred to your disadvantage.”
“But above all he must refrain from seizing the property of others, because a man is quicker to forget the death of his father than the loss of his patrimony.”
“The first way to lose a state is to neglect the art of war; the first way to gain a state is to be skilled in the art of war.”
“Therefore the best fortress is to be found in the love of the people, for although you may have fortresses they will not save you if you are hated by the people.”
“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.”
“A man who wishes to profess at all times will come to ruin among so many who are not good.”
“A prince is also esteemed when he shows himself a true friend or a true enemy, that is, when, without reservation, he takes his stand with one side or the other. This is always wiser than trying to be neutral, for if two powerful neighbors of yours fall out they are either of such sort that the victor may give you reason to fear him or they are not. In either case it will be better for you to take sides and wage an honest war.”
“A prince must not have any other object nor any other thought… but war, its institutions, and its discipline; because that is the only art befitting one who commands.”
“A prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war and its rules and discipline; for this is the sole art that belongs to him who rules, and it is of such force that it not only upholds those who are born princes, but it often enables men to rise from a private station to that rank. And, on the contrary, it is seen that when princes have thought more of ease than of arms they have lost their states. And the first cause of your losing it is to neglect this art; and what enables you to acquire a state is to be master of the art.”
“A prince ought to have two fears one from within on account of his subjects the other from without on account of external powers. From the latter he is defended by being well armed and having good allies and if he is well armed he will have good friends and affairs will always remain quiet within when they are quiet without unless they should have been already disturbed by conspiracy and even should affairs outside be disturbed if he has carried out his preparations and has lived as I have said as long as he does not despair he will resist every attack.”
“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.”
“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.”
“All the States and Governments by which men are or ever have been ruled, have been and are either Republics or Princedoms.”
“Among other evils which being unarmed brings you, it causes you to be despised.”
“And although one should not reason about Moses, as he was a mere executor of things that had been ordered for him by God, nonetheless he should
Impressum
Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG
Texte: Daniel Coenn
Bildmaterialien: Daniel Coenn
Lektorat: Blago Kirof
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 09.06.2014
ISBN: 978-3-7368-1879-8
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