Better to have a known enemy than a forced ally.

In war, three-quarters turns on personal character and relations; the balance of manpower and materials counts only for the remaining quarter.

The art of land warfare is an art of genius, of inspiration. On the sea nothing is genius or inspiration; everything is positive or empiric.

Who saves his country violates no law.

The art of choosing men is not nearly so difficult as the art of enabling those chosen to attain their full worth.

Man loves the marvelous. It has an irresistible charm for him. He is always ready to leave that with which he is familiar to pursue vain inventions. He lends himself to his own deception.

Tis a principle of war that when you can use the lightning, ’tis better than cannon.

I have fought sixty battles, and I have learnt nothing which I did not know at the beginning.

Flatterers and men of learning do not accord well with each other.

What is the future? What is the past? What are we? What is the magic fluid that surrounds us and conceals the things we most need to know? We live and die in the midst of marvels.