In a battle, as in a siege, the art consists in concentrating very heavy fire on a particular point. The line of battle once established, the one who has the ability to concentrate an unlooked for mass of artillery suddenly and unexpectedly on one of these points is sure to carry the day.

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.

From first to last, Jesus is the same; always the same--majestic and simple, infinitely severe and infinitely gentle.

To write history one must be more than a man, since the author who holds the pen of this great justiciary must be free from all preoccupation of interest or vanity.

We must laugh at man to avoid crying for him.

The people to fear are not those who disagree with you, but those who disagree with you and are too cowardly to let you know.

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.