One can make this generalization about men: they are ungrateful, fickle, liars, and deceivers, they shun danger and are greedy for profit; while you treat them well, they are yours. They would shed their blood for you, risk their property, their lives, their children, so long, as I said above, as danger is remote; but when you are in danger they turn against you.

For it must be noted, that men must either be caressed or else annihilated; they will revenge themselves for small injuries, but cannot do so for great ones; the injury therefore that we do to a man must be such that we need not fear his vengeance.

A son could bear with great complacency, the death of his father, while the loss of his inheritance might drive him to despair.

...it behooves us to adapt oneself to the times if one wants to enjoy continued good fortune.

For as laws are necessary that good manners be preserved, so there is need of good manners that law may be maintained.

Therefore the best fortress is to be found in the love of the people, for although you may have fortresses they will not save you if you are hated by the people.

The fact is that a man who wants to act virtuously in every way necessarily comes to grief among so many who are not virtuous.