Niccolo Machiavelli

He who becomes a Prince through the favour of the people should always keep on good terms with them; which it is easy for him to do, since all they ask is not to be oppressed.

Niccolo Machiavelli

He who believes that new benefits will cause great personages to forget old injuries is deceived.

Niccolo Machiavelli

He who blinded by ambition, raises himself to a position whence he cannot mount higher, must thereafter fall with the greatest loss.

Niccolo Machiavelli

He who builds on the people, builds on the mud.

Niccolo Machiavelli

He who causes another to become powerful ruins himself, for he brings such a power into being either by design or by force, and both of these elements are suspects to the one whom he has made powerful.

Niccolo Machiavelli

He who has not first laid his foundations may be able with great ability to lay them afterwards, but they will be laid with trouble to the architect and danger to the building.

Niccolo Machiavelli

he who has once begun to live by robbery will always find pretexts for seizing what belongs to others;

Niccolo Machiavelli

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

Niccolo Machiavelli

He who makes war his profession cannot be otherwise than vicious. War makes thieves, and peace brings them to the gallows.

Niccolo Machiavelli

Hence it comes that all armed prophets have been victorious, and all unarmed prophets have been destroyed.

Niccolo Machiavelli