There are three kinds of intelligence: one kind understands things for itself, the other appreciates what others can understand, the third understands neither for itself nor through others. This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless. -Niccolo Machiavelli Intelligence
The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him. -Niccolo Machiavelli Intelligence
There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. -Niccolo Machiavelli Success
To understand the nature of the people one must be a prince, and to understand the nature of the prince, one must be of the people. -Niccolo Machiavelli Nature
Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries - for heavy ones they cannot. -Niccolo Machiavelli Men
Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear. -Niccolo Machiavelli Fear
Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times. -Niccolo Machiavelli Success
War is just when it is necessary; arms are permissible when there is no hope except in arms. -Niccolo Machiavelli Hope
Men ought either to be indulged or utterly destroyed, for if you merely offend them they take vengeance, but if you injure them greatly they are unable to retaliate, so that the injury done to a man ought to be such that vengeance cannot be feared. -Niccolo Machiavelli Men
A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example. -Niccolo Machiavelli Men
Nature that framed us of four elements, warring within our breasts for regiment, doth teach us all to have aspiring minds. -Niccolo Machiavelli Nature
The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him. -Niccolo Machiavelli Men
Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions. -Niccolo Machiavelli Men
Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times. -Niccolo Machiavelli Change
War should be the only study of a prince. He should consider peace only as a breathing-time, which gives him leisure to contrive, and furnishes as ability to execute, military plans. -Niccolo Machiavelli War
There are three kinds of intelligence: one kind understands things for itself, the other appreciates what others can understand, the third understands neither for itself nor through others. This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless. -Niccolo Machiavelli Good
Men are so simple and yield so readily to the desires of the moment that he who will trick will always find another who will suffer to be tricked. -Niccolo Machiavelli Men
