Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.

People should either be caressed or crushed. If you do them minor damage they will get their revenge; but if you cripple them there is nothing they can do. If you need to injure someone, do it in such a way that you do not have to fear their vengeance.

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

And it will always happen that he who is not your friend will request your neutrality and he who is your friend will ask you to declare yourself by taking up arms. And irresolute princes, in order to avoid present dangers, follow the neutral road most of the time, and most of the time they are ruined.

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.

Men are always wicked at bottom unless they are made good by some compulsion.

To know well the nature of the people one must be a prince, and to know well the nature of princes one must be of the people.