511 Quotes by Niccolò Machiavelli

(A ruler) cannot and should not keep his word when to do so would go against his interests or when the reason he pledged it no longer holds.

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

For government consists in nothing else but so controlling subjects that they shall neither be able to, nor have cause to do [it] harm.

Hence it happened that all the armed prophets conquered, all the unarmed perished. [It., Di qui nacque che tutti li profeti armati vincero, e li disarmati rovinarono.]

There are three kinds of brains. The one understands things unassisted, the other understands things when shown by others, the third understands neither alone nor with the explanations of others.

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

It should be borne in mind that there is nothing more difficult to arrange, more doubtful of success, and more dangerous to carry through than initiating changes. The innovator makes enemies of all those who prospered under the old order, and only lukewarm support is forthcoming from those who would prosper under the new. Their support is lukewarm ... partly because men are generally incredulous, never really trusting new things unless they have tested them by experience.

Among other causes of misfortune which your not being armed brings upon you, it makes you despised....

Men ought either to be well treated, or crushed.