Delusion gives you more happiness than truth gives to me. For injuries ought to be done all at one time, so that, being tasted less, they offend less; benefits ought to be given little by little, so that the flavour of them may last longer.

There is no other way to guard yourself against flattery than by making men understand that telling you the truth will not offend you.

To know well the nature of the people one must be a prince, and to know well the nature of princes one must be of the people.

Men are able to assist fortune but not to thwart her. They can weave her designs, but they cannot destroy them.

From this arises the question whether it is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved. It might perhaps be answered that we should wish to be both: but since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved.

One never finds anything perfectly pure and ... exempt from danger.

It is much better to tempt fortune where it can favor you than to see your certain ruin by not tempting it.