There should be many judges, for few will always do the will of few.

Men rise from one ambition to another: first, they seek to secure themselves against attack, and then they attack others.

There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.

War should be the only study of a prince. He should consider peace only as a breathing-time, which gives him leisure to contrive, and furnishes as ability to execute, military plans.

You have to be a prince to understand the people, and you have to belong to the people to understand the princes.

it is better to act and repent than not to act and regret.

The ends justifies the means.