Niccolo Machiavelli

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

There are three kinds of intelligence: one kind understands things for itself, the other appreciates what others can understand, the third understands neither for itself nor through others. This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless.

Men rise from one ambition to another: first, they seek to secure themselves against attack, and then they attack others.

Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.

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

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.

Never was anything great achieved without danger.

It is much more secure to be feared than to be loved.

There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others.

It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.

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

The distinction between children and adults, while probably useful for some purposes, is at bottom a specious one, I feel. There are only individual egos, crazy for love.