"The desire to acquire is truly a very natural and common thing; and when men who are able to do so acquire, they are always praised and not blamed; but when they are not able to do so, and yet wish to…"

"The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms; and as there cannot be good laws where there are not good arms, and where there are good arms there m…"

"It is much safer to be feared than loved."

"Men are by nature much more inclined to evil than to good; and therefore, if you would have the good, you must put them under the necessity of being so."

"A wise prince, therefore, ought to find a means by which his subjects will always in every sort and kind of circumstance have need of the state and of him, and then they will always be faithful to him…"