In our own days we have seen no princes accomplish great results save those who have been accounted miserly.

And when neither their property nor honour is touched, the majority of men live content, and he has only to contend with the ambition of a few, whom he can curb with ease in many ways.

Since the handling of arms is a beautiful spectacle, it is delightful to young men.

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.

the wise man should always follow the roads that have been trodden by the great, and imitate those who have most excelled, so that if he cannot reach their perfection, he may at least acquire something of its savour.

Any man who tries to be good all the time is bound to come to ruin among the great number who are not good.

The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.