The reformer has enemies in all who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by the new order.

To ensure victory the troops must have confidence in themselves as well as in their commanders.

There are three kinds of minds: first those that attain insight and understanding of things by their own means, then those that recognize what is right when others explain it to them, and finally those that are capable of neither one nor the other.

The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.

There are three kinds of intelligence: one kind understands things for itself, the other appreciates what others can understand, the third understands neither for itself nor through others. This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless.

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

He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command.