....those who become princes through their skill acquire the pricipality with difficulty, buy they hold onto it with ease.

Whoever is the cause of another becoming powerful, is ruined himself.

He who is the cause of another's advancement is thereby the cause of his own ruin.

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.

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.

A man who is used to acting in one way never changes; he must come to ruin when the times, in changing, no longer are in harmony with his ways.

So in all human affairs one notices, if one examines them closely, that it is impossible to remove one inconvenience without another emerging.