It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver.

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.

It is necessary that the prince should know how to color his nature well, and how to be a hypocrite and dissembler. For men are so simple, and yield so much to immediate necessity, that the deceiver will never lack dupes.

To ensure victory the troops must have confidence in themselves as well as in their commanders.

Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear.

The nature of man is such that people consider themselves put under an obligation as much by the benefits they confer as by those they receive.

The distinction between children and adults, while probably useful for some purposes, is at bottom a specious one, I feel. There are only individual egos, crazy for love.