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 nothing as likely to succeed as what the enemy believes you cannot attempt.

A man who is used to acting in one way never changes; he must come to ruin when the times, in changing, no longer are in harmony with his ways.

All courses of action are risky, so prudence is not in avoiding danger (it's impossible), but calculating risk and acting decisively. Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer.

For titles do not reflect honor on men, but rather men on their titles.

Only those means of security are good, are certain, are lasting, that depend on yourself and your own vigor.

A 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.