"Men must either be caressed or annihilated; they will revenge themselves for slight wrongs, but not for great ones."

"To be feared is much safer than to be loved."

"It is necessary for a prince, if he wishes to maintain himself, to learn how not to be good, and to use this knowledge and not use it, according to the necessity of the case."

"A prince being thus obliged to know well how to act as a beast must imitate the fox and the lion, for the lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves."

"The people, when they have a good leader, are not afraid to fight; and if they are not afraid, they are strong."