"He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command."

"He who is the cause of another becoming powerful is ruined; because that power has been effected either by industry or by force, and both of these are suspicious to the one who has been raised to powe…"

"Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries—for heavy ones they cannot."

"Whence it may be noted that in taking a state the conqueror must arrange to commit all injuries at once and follow them up every day, so that by not repeating them he may be able to assure men and win…"

"Men are so simple and yield so readily to the necessities of the moment that he who deceives will always find someone who will let himself be deceived."