He who would foresee what is to happen should look to what has happened: for all that is has its counterpart in time past.

Men are driven by two principal impulses, either by love or by fear.

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.

The best fortress which a prince can possess is the affection of his people.

A man who wishes to make a profession of goodness in everything must necessarily come to grief among so many who are not good. Therefore, it is necessary for a prince, who wishes to maintain himself, to learn how not to be good, and to use this knowledge and not use it according to the necessity of the case.

My view is that it is desirable to be both loved and feared; but it is difficult to achieve both and, if one of them has to be lacking, it is much safer to be feared than loved.

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