Men are more ready to offend one who desires to be beloved than one who wishes to be feared.

Good order and discipline in any army are to be depended upon more than courage alone.

Men nearly always follow the tracks made by others and proceed in their affairs by imitation, even though they cannot entirely keep to the tracks of others or emulate the prowess of their models. So a prudent man should always follow in the footsteps of great men and imitate those who have been outstanding.

A multitude is strong while it holds together, but so soon as each of those who compose it begins ro think of his own private danger, it becomes weak and contemptible.

Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear.

For the mob is always impressed by appearances and by results, and the world is composed of the mob.

As the observance of divine institutions is the cause of the greatness of republics, so the disregard of them produces their ruin; for where the fear of God is wanting, there the country will come to ruin, unless it be sustained the fear of the prince, which temporarily supply the want of religion.