Thus it is well to seem merciful, faithful, humane, sincere, religious, and also to be so; but you must have the mind so disposed that when it is needful to be otherwise you may be able to change to the opposite qualities.

You have to be a prince to understand the people, and you have to belong to the people to understand the princes.

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

Never was anything great achieved without danger.

I am firmly convinced, therefore, that to set up a republic which is to last a long time, the way to set about it is to constitute it as Sparta and Venice were constituted; to place it in a strong position, and so to fortify it that no one will dream of taking it by a sudden assault; and, on the other hand, not to make it so large as to appear formidable to its neighbors. It should in this way be able to enjoy its form of government for a long time. For war is made on a commonwealth for two reasons: to subjugate it, and for fear of being subjugated by it.

In conclusion, the arms of others either fall from your back, or they weigh you down, or they bind you fast.

For as laws are necessary that good manners be preserved, so there is need of good manners that law may be maintained.