A government which does not trust its citizens to be armed is not itself to be trusted.

Good order and discipline in any army are to be depended upon more than courage alone.

Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage.

And here one must not that hatred is acquired just as much by means of good actions as by bad ones; and so, as I said above, if a prince wishes to maintain the state, he is often obliged not to be good; because whenever that group which you believe you need to support you is corrupted, whether it be the common people, the soldiers, or the nobles, it is to your advantage to follow their inclinations in order to satisfy them; and then good actions are your enemy.

Men are more ready to offend one who desires to be beloved than one who wishes to be feared.

A wise ruler should rely on what is under his own control, not on what is under the control of others.

There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others.