The reformer has enemies in all who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by the new order.
Niccolo MachiavelliWisdom consists in being able to distinguish among dangers and make a choice of the least harmful.
Niccolo MachiavelliThen also pretexts for seizing property are never wanting, and one who begins to live by rapine will always find some reason for taking the goods of others, whereas causes for taking life are rarer and more quickly destroyed.
Niccolo Machiavelli