A prince must not have any other object nor any other thought… but war, its institutions, and its discipline; because that is the only art befitting one who commands.

Men ought either to be well treated or crushed, because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries, of more serious ones they cannot; therefore the injury that is to be done to a man ought to be of such a kind that one does not stand in fear of revenge.

The vulgar crowd always is taken by appearances, and the world consists chiefly of the vulgar.

When every province of the world so teems with inhabitants that they can neither subsist where they are nor remove themselves elsewhere.

For one change always leaves a dovetail into which another will fit.

Nothing is of greater importance in time of war than in knowing how to make the best use of a fair opportunity when it is offered.

The sinews of war are not gold, but good soldiers; for gold alone will not procure good soldiers, but good soldiers will always procure gold.