Desperate affairs require desperate remedies.

Strength of character does not consist solely in having powerful feelings, but in maintaining one's balance in spite of them.

[The cause of inaction in war] ... is the imperfection of human perception and judgment which is more pronounced in war than anywhere else. We hardly know accurately our own situation at any particular moment while the enemy's, which is concealed from us, must be deduced from very little evidence.

In war, where imperfect intelligence, the threat of a catastrophe, and the number of accidents are incomparably greater than any other human endeavor, the amount of missed opportunities, so to speak, is therefore bound to be greater.

Men are always more inclined to pitch their estimate of the enemy's strength too high than too low, such is human nature.

War therefore is an act of violence to compel our opponent to fulfill our will.

A prince or general can best demonstrate his genius by managing a campaign exactly to suit his objectives and his resources, doing neither too much nor too little.