Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not to suffer.

Occasionally words must serve to veil the facts. But let this happen in such a way that no one become aware of it; or, if it should be noticed, excuses must be at hand to be produced immediately.

Only those means of security are good, are certain, are lasting, that depend on yourself and your own vigor.

And above all you ought to guard against leading an army to fight which is afraid or which is not confident of victory. For the greatest sign of an impending loss is when one does not believe one can win.

Wars begin when you will, but they do not end when you please.

To be feared is much safer then to be loved.

A prince must be prudent enough to know how to escape the bad reputation of those vices that would lose the state for him, and must protect himself from those that will not lose it for him, if this is possible; but if he cannot, he need not concern himself unduly if he ignores these less serious vices.