I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for adulation is lacking.

A prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war and its rules and discipline; for this is the sole art that belongs to him who rules, and it is of such force that it not only upholds those who are born princes, but it often enables men to rise from a private station to that rank. And, on the contrary, it is seen that when princes have thought more of ease than of arms they have lost their states. And the first cause of your losing it is to neglect this art; and what enables you to acquire a state is to be master of the art.

Men rise from one ambition to another: first, they seek to secure themselves against attack, and then they attack others.

In order not to annul our free will, I judge it true that Fortune may be mistress of one half our actions but then even she leaves the other half, or almost, under our control.

We have not seen great things done in our time except by those who have been considered mean; the rest have failed.

It makes him hated above all things, as I have said, to be rapacious, and to be a violator of the property and women of his subjects, from both of which he must abstain.

Hatred is gained as much by good works as by evil.