It is necessary for him who lays out a state and arranges laws for it to presuppose that all men are evil and that they are always going to act according to the wickedness of their spirits whenever they have free scope.

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.

Nature that framed us of four elements, warring within our breasts for regiment, doth teach us all to have aspiring minds.

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.

Politics have no relation to morals.

There is no surer sign of decay in a country than to see the rites of religion held in contempt.

Princes and governments are far more dangerous than other elements within society.

Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.

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.

There is no avoiding war it can only be postponed to the advantage of others.