You have to be a prince to understand the people, and you have to belong to the people to understand the princes.

One must consider the final result

There are three kinds of brains. The one understands things unassisted, the other understands things when shown by others, the third understands neither alone nor with the explanations of others.

Besides what has been said, people are fickle by nature; and it is a simple to convince them of something but difficult to hold them in that conviction; and, therefore, affairs should be managed in such a way that when they no longer believe, they can be made to believe by force.

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

Men are always averse to enterprises in which they foresee difficulties.

Any harm you do to a man should be done in such a way that you need not fear his revenge.