Niccolò Machiavelli

see appear experience are reality

“Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.”

— Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)

achieve great danger

“Never was anything great achieved without danger.”

— Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)

lion trap fox wolf wolves

“The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.”

— Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)

guard flattery truth

“There is no other way to guard yourself against flattery than by making men understand that telling you the truth will not offend you.”

— Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)

estimate intelligence ruler men around

“The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.”

— Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)

principal impulse love fear

“Men are driven by two principal impulses, either by love or by fear.”

— Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)

title honor men

“It is not titles that honour men, but men that honour titles.”

— Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)

Machiavelli - change

“Whenever you want to improve anything, you have to change; it is not comfortable but there is no alternative.”

—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527)

men simple mind needs immediate ready deceived

“Men are so simple of mind, and so much dominated by their immediate needs, that a deceitful man will always find plenty who are ready to be deceived.”

— Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)

mankind fickle hypocritical greedy

“Of mankind we may say in general they are fickle, hypocritical, and greedy of gain.”

— Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)

judge appearance reality eyes penetration

“Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality. All men have eyes, but few have the gift of penetration.”

— Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)

words veil facts hidden excuse

“Occasionally words must serve to veil the facts. But let this happen in such a way that no one become aware of it; or, if it should be noticed, excuses must be at hand to be produced immediately.”

— Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)

peasants left alone prosper peace

"The peasant wants only to be left alone to prosper in peace."

— Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)

blind ambition poition high fall loss

"He who blinded by ambition, raises himself to a position whence he cannot mount higher, must thereafter fall with the greatest loss."

— Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)

classes intellect comprehend appreciate excellent good useless

"There are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends by itself nor by the showing of others; the first is the most excellent, the second is good, and the third is useless."

— Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)