When you disarm your subjects, however, you offend them by showing that either from cowardliness or lack of faith, you distrust them; and either conclusion will induce them to hate you.
Niccolo MachiavelliThe princes who have done great things are the ones who have taken little account of their promises.
Niccolo MachiavelliHe who would foresee what is to happen should look to what has happened: for all that is has its counterpart in time past.
Niccolo MachiavelliA prince must be prudent enough to know how to escape the bad reputation of those vices that would lose the state for him, and must protect himself from those that will not lose it for him, if this is possible; but if he cannot, he need not concern himself unduly if he ignores these less serious vices.
Niccolo Machiavelli