Men nearly always follow the tracks made by others and proceed in their affairs by imitation, even though they cannot entirely keep to the tracks of others or emulate the prowess of their models. So a prudent man should always follow in the footsteps of great men and imitate those who have been outstanding.

The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.

Men sooner forget the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony

Therefore, it is necessary to be a fox to discover the snares and a lion to terrify the wolves

A prince being thus obliged to know well how to act as a beast must imitate the fox and the lion, for the lion cannot protect himself from snares, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves.

Ability and perseverance are the weapons of weakness.

The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.