A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests.
Niccolo MachiavelliWe must distinguish between those who depend on others, that is between those who to achieve their purposes can force the issue and those who must use persuasion. In the second case, they always come to grief, having achieved nothing; when, however, they depend on their own resources and can force the issue, then they are seldom endangered.
Niccolo MachiavelliThe princes who have done great things are the ones who have taken little account of their promises.
Niccolo MachiavelliA battle that you win cancels any other bad action of yours. In the same way, by losing one, all the good things worked by you before become vain.
Niccolo Machiavelli