Machiavelli

No state is ever well established unless it has a good army.

For he who is not strong enough to protect himself must seek protection from others.

There are three kinds of intellects: one understands things by itself, the other discerns what others understand, and the third understands neither by itself nor through others. The first is excellent, the second good, the third useless.

For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearances, as though they were realities, and are often even more influenced by the things that seem than by those that are.

Men are always averse to new things, and it is very hard to persuade them to change.

The best fortress is to be found in the love of the people, for although you may have fortresses, they will not save you if you are hated by the people.

He who conquers a province in a foreign country, and does not establish his residence there, is in great danger of losing it.

It is much more difficult to injure one who is loved than one who is hated.

Men are so simple and yield so readily to the necessities of the moment that he who deceives will always find someone who will let himself be deceived.

A prince must be a fox, to know how to avoid snares; and a lion, to terrify wolves.

He who builds on the people, builds on mud.

It is better to be a good prophet than a good poet.

For where the fear of God is wanting, it is inevitable that the kingdom will come to ruin, or that it will be sustained by the fear of a prince, which will supply the want of religion.

Men are more apt to forget the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony.

One ought never to allow disorders to take their course for the sake of avoiding war, for war is not thereby avoided, but only deferred to your disadvantage.

The innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new.

He who is not a friend to the new order of things must be an enemy to it.

It is not reason but necessity that makes men humble.

It is necessary for him who lays out a state and arranges laws for it to presuppose that all men are bad, and that they will use their malignity of mind whenever they have a free opportunity to do so.

Therefore a prince, not being able to use this virtue of liberality in such a way that it may be recognized, except to his cost, a wise prince ought not to mind the reputation of being a miser.