Tis a principle of war that when you can use the lightning, 'tis better than cannon.

I am sometimes a fox and sometimes a lion. The whole secret of government lies in knowing when to be the one or the other.

You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war.

To make yourself understood to people, one must first speak to their eyes

Machiavelli is right: one always must live with one's friends with the idea that they may turn into one's enemies. He should have said, with everyone.

Unavailable wars are always just.

I do not believe it is in our nature to love impartially. We deceive ourselves when we think we can love two beings, even our own children, equally. There is always a dominant affection.