In conclusion, the arms of others either fall from your back, or they weigh you down, or they bind you fast.

One arises from a low to a high station more often by using fraud instead of force.

There is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage than the creation of a new order of things..... Whenever his enemies have occasion to attack the innovator they do so with the passion of partisans, while the others defend him sluggishly so that the innovator and his party alike are vulnerable.

The reason is that nature has so created men that they are able to desire everything but are not able to attain everything: so that the desire being always greater than the acquisition, there results discontent with the possession and little satisfaction to themselves from it. From this arises the changes in their fortunes; for as men desire, some to have more, some in fear of losing their acquisition, there ensues enmity and war, from which results the ruin of that province and the elevation of another.

...people are by nature fickle, and it is easy to persuade them of something, but difficult to keep them persuaded.

Tardiness often robs us opportunity, and the dispatch of our forces.

There is no other way to guard yourself against flattery than by making men understand that telling you the truth will not offend you.