When every province of the world so teems with inhabitants that they can neither subsist where they are nor remove themselves elsewhere.

Prudence therefore consists in knowing how to distinguish degrees of disadvantage.

The peasant wants only to be left alone to prosper in peace.

A prudent man... must behave like those archers who, if they are skillful, when the target seems too distant, know the capabilities of their bow and aim a good deal higher than their objective, not in order to shoot so high but so that by aiming high they can reach the target.

Is it better to be loved or feared?

Men ought either to be well treated or crushed, because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries, of more serious ones they cannot; therefore the injury that is to be done to a man ought to be of such a kind that one does not stand in fear of revenge.

....those who become princes through their skill acquire the pricipality with difficulty, buy they hold onto it with ease.