Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries - for heavy ones they cannot.

You do not know the unfathomable cowardice of humanity...servile in the face of force, pitiless in the face of weakness, implacable before blunders, indulgent before crimes...and patient to the point of martyrdom before all the violences of bold despotism.

The forces of adversaries are more diminished by the loss of those who flee than of those who are killed.

If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.

Any man who tries to be good all the time is bound to come to ruin among the great number who are not good. Hence a prince who wants to keep his authority must learn how not to be good, and use that knowledge, or refrain from using it, as necessity requires.

Since the handling of arms is a beautiful spectacle, it is delightful to young men.

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