"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."

"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 who is not himself wise cannot be well advised."

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

"A prudent man should always follow in the path of great men and imitate those who have been most excellent, so that if his ability does not equal theirs, at least it will savour of it."