The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.

One never finds anything perfectly pure and ... exempt from danger.

It is a common failing of man not to take account of tempests during fair weather.

Sometimes it has been of great moment while the fight is going on, to disseminate words that pronounce the enemies' captain to be dead, or to have been conquered by another part of the army. Many times this has given victory to him who used it.

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.

Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are, and those few dare not oppose themselves to the opinion of the many, who have the majesty of the state to defend them.

A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests.