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.

...the incredulity of mankind, who do not truly believe in anything new until they have had actual experience of it.

Decide which is the line of conduct that presents the fewest drawbacks and then follow it out as being the best one, because one never finds anything perfectly pure and unmixed, or exempt from danger.

It has always been the opinion and judgment of wise men that nothing can be so uncertain as fame or power not founded on its own strength.

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

Politics have no relation to morals.

There should be many judges, for few will always do the will of few.