511 Quotes by Niccolò Machiavelli

Men are more ready to offend one who desires to be beloved than one who wishes to be feared.

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

Wars begin when you will, but they do not end when you please.

The answer is, of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved.

A government which does not trust its citizens to be armed is not itself to be trusted.

War brings out thieves and peace hangs them.

One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived.

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.

The wish to acquire is in truth very natural and common, and men always do so when they can.but when they cannot do so, yet wish to do so by any means, then there is folly and blame.