"If a prince wants to keep his state, he must learn how to be not good, and to use or not use this according to the necessity."

"He who desires to found a state and give it laws, must start with the assumption that all men are bad, and ever ready to display their vicious nature, whenever they may find occasion for it."

"A prince must not have any other object nor any other thought… but war, its institutions, and its discipline; because that is the only art befitting one who commands."

"Men are won over as much by the love they are given as by the fear they are inspired with."

"Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them."