Forgiveness proceeds from a generous soul.
The new ruler must determine all the injuries that he will need to inflict. He must inflict them once and for all.
Few men are brave by nature, but good discipline and experience make many so.
The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.
For, in truth, there is no sure way of holding other than by destroying
Then also pretexts for seizing property are never wanting, and one who begins to live by rapine will always find some reason for taking the goods of others, whereas causes for taking life are rarer and more quickly destroyed.