All the States and Governments by which men are or ever have been ruled, have been and are either Republics or Princedoms.

Nature that framed us of four elements, warring within our breasts for regiment, doth teach us all to have aspiring minds.

Men nearly always follow the tracks made by others and proceed in their affairs by imitation, even though they cannot entirely keep to the tracks of others or emulate the prowess of their models. So a prudent man should always follow in the footsteps of great men and imitate those who have been outstanding.

As the observance of divine institutions is the cause of the greatness of republics, so the disregard of them produces their ruin; for where the fear of God is wanting, there the country will come to ruin, unless it be sustained the fear of the prince, which temporarily supply the want of religion.

The leader should know how to enter into evil when necessity commands.

Politics have no relation to morals.

One must be a fox to recognize traps and a lion to frighten wolves