A prince never lacks legitimate reasons to break his promise.

It is a foolish prince who entrusts the safety of his lands to hired men.

A wise ruler should rely on what is under his own control, not on what is under the control of others.

Hence it comes that all armed Prophets have been victorious, and all unarmed Prophets have been destroyed.

Results are often obtained by impetuosity and daring which could never have been obtained by ordinary methods.

It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver.

States that rise quickly, just as all the other things of nature that are born and grow rapidly, cannot have roots and ramifications; the first bad weather kills them