Niccolo Machiavelli

Whoever conquers a free town and does not demolish it commits a great error and may expect to be ruined himself. ↗

— Niccolo Machiavelli

#conquers #demolish #does #error #expect

Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear. ↗

— Niccolo Machiavelli

#fear #inspires #less #love #offending

Since it is difficult to join them together, it is safer to be feared than to be loved when one of the two must be lacking. ↗

— Niccolo Machiavelli

#feared #join #lacking #loved #must

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

— Niccolo Machiavelli

#given #necessity #past #present #promise

Hence it comes about that all armed Prophets have been victorious, and all unarmed Prophets have been destroyed. ↗

— Niccolo Machiavelli

#armed #been #comes #destroyed #hence

To understand the nature of the people one must be a prince, and to understand the nature of the prince, one must be of the people. ↗

— Niccolo Machiavelli

#nature #people #prince #understand

War should be the only study of a prince. He should consider peace only as a breathing-time, which gives him leisure to contrive, and furnishes as ability to execute, military plans. ↗

— Niccolo Machiavelli

#consider #contrive #execute #furnishes #gives

War is just when it is necessary; arms are permissible when there is no hope except in arms. ↗

— Niccolo Machiavelli

#except #hope #just #necessary #permissible

Benefits should be conferred gradually; and in that way they will taste better. ↗

— Niccolo Machiavelli

#better #conferred #gradually #should #taste

For among other evils caused by being disarmed, it renders you contemptible; which is one of those disgraceful things which a prince must guard against. ↗

— Niccolo Machiavelli

#among #being #caused #contemptible #disarmed