"For of men it may generally be affirmed, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous."

"A prince, therefore, being compelled knowingly to adopt the beast, ought to choose the fox and the lion; because the lion cannot defend himself against snares and the fox cannot defend himself against…"

"A prince, therefore, must not mind incurring the charge of cruelty for the purpose of keeping his subjects united and loyal; for, with a very few examples, he will be more merciful than those who, fro…"

"It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles."

"The Roman state was ruined by the ambition of the people as much as by the ambition of the nobility."