A prince must be prudent enough to know how to escape the bad reputation of those vices that would lose the state for him, and must protect himself from those that will not lose it for him, if this is possible; but if he cannot, he need not concern himself unduly if he ignores these less serious vices.
Niccolo MachiavelliThe people resemble a wild beast, which, naturally fierce and accustomed to live in the woods, has been brought up, as it were, in a prison and in servitude, and having by accident got its liberty, not being accustomed to search for its food, and not knowing where to conceal itself, easily becomes the prey of the first who seeks to incarcerate it again.
Niccolo MachiavelliSo long as the great majority of men are not deprived of either property or honor, they are satisfied.
Niccolo MachiavelliEveryone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas in antiquity.
Niccolo MachiavelliIt is much safer for the prince to be feared than loved, but he ought to avoid making himself hated.
Niccolo Machiavelli