Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes
Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian Renaissance diplomat, historian, and political philosopher of the late 15th and early 16th centuries, often described as the founder of modern political science. He served the Florentine republic in diplomatic and military roles until the return of the Medici family ended his career. The quotes below are attributed to Niccolo Machiavelli, organized by topic.
Browse Niccolo Machiavelli by topic
Niccolo Machiavelli on Knowledge
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“When evening comes, I return home and enter my study; on the threshold I take off my workday clothes, covered with mud and dirt, and put on the garments of court and palace. Fitted out appropriately, I step inside the venerable courts of the ancients, where, solicitously received by them, I nourish myself on that food that alone is mine and for which I was born; where I am unashamed to converse wi”
Letter to Francesco Vettori (10 December 1513), as translated by James Atkinson, in Prince Machiavelli (1976), p. 19 -
“In judging policies we should consider the results that have been achieved through them rather than the means by which they have been executed.”
From an undated letter to Piero Soderini (translated here by Dr. Arthur Livingston), in The Living Thoughts of Machiavelli, by Count Carlo Sforza, published by Cassell, London (1942), p. 85 -
“Upon this, one has to remark that men ought either to be well treated or crushed, because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries, of more serious ones they cannot; therefore the injury that is to be done to a man ought to be of such a kind that one does not stand in fear of revenge.”
The Prince (1513), Ch. 3 -
“The Prince (1513), Ch. 3”
Upon this, one has to remark that men ought either to be well treated or crushed, because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries, of more serious ones they cannot; therefore the injury that is to be done to a man ought to be of such a kind that one does not stand in fear of revenge. -
“A prudent man should always follow in the path trodden by great men and imitate those who are most excellent .”
...debbe un uomo prudente entrare sempre per vie battute da uomini grandi, e quelli che sono stati eccellentissimi, imitare... -
“The Prince (1513), Ch. 6; translated by Luigi Ricci”
...debbe un uomo prudente entrare sempre per vie battute da uomini grandi, e quelli che sono stati eccellentissimi, imitare... -
“It ought to be remembered that 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. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new. This coolness arises partly from fear of the opponents, who have the laws on their side, and partly from the incredulity of men, who do not readily believe in new things until they have had a long experience of them.”
The Prince (1513), Ch. 6; translated by W. K. Marriott -
“The Prince (1513), Ch. 6; translated by W. K. Marriott”
It ought to be remembered that 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. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new. This coolness arises partly from f -
“The Prince (1513), Ch. 17, as translated by Luigi Ricci (1903)”
I say that every prince must desire to be considered merciful and not cruel. He must, however, take care not to misuse this mercifulness. ... A prince, therefore, must not mind incurring the charge of cruelty for the purpose of keeping his subjects united and confident; for, with a very few examples, he will be more merciful than those who, from excess of tenderness, allow disorders to arise, from
Niccolo Machiavelli on Politics
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“It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.”
I say that every prince must desire to be considered merciful and not cruel. He must, however, take care not to misuse this mercifulness. ... A prince, therefore, must not mind incurring the charge of cruelty for the purpose of keeping his subjects united and confident; for, with a very few examples, he will be more merciful than those who, from excess of tenderness, allow disorders to arise, from -
Attributed to Niccolo Machiavelli:
“Men are so simple of mind, and so much dominated by their immediate needs, that a deceitful man will always find plenty who are ready to be deceived.”
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Attributed to Niccolo Machiavelli:
“He who builds on the people, builds on the mud.”
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“Princes who have done great deeds have held their good faith of little account.”
How laudable it is for a prince to keep good faith and live with integrity, and not with astuteness, every one knows. Still the experience of our times shows those princes to have done great things who have had little regard for good faith, and have been able by astuteness to confuse men's brains, and who have ultimately overcome those who have made loyalty their foundation. You must know, then, t -
“The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.”
A variant translation of: "And the first opinion which one forms of a prince, and of his understanding, is by observing the men he has around him." - The Prince (1513), Ch. 22 -
Attributed to Niccolo Machiavelli:
“Where the very safety of the country depends upon the resolution to be taken, no consideration of justice or injustice, humanity or cruelty, ought to prevail.”
Niccolo Machiavelli on Truth
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Attributed to Niccolo Machiavelli:
“There is no other way of guarding oneself against flattery than by letting men understand that to tell you the truth does not offend you.”
Niccolo Machiavelli on Virtue
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Attributed to Niccolo Machiavelli:
“Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.”
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Attributed to Niccolo Machiavelli:
“A wise prince ought to observe some such rules, and never in peaceful times stand idle, but increase his resources with industry in such a way that they may be available to him in adversity.”
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Attributed to Niccolo Machiavelli:
“Of mankind we may say in general they are fickle, hypocritical, and greedy of gain.”
Things actually not said by Niccolo Machiavelli
A number of widely-shared lines are circulated as Niccolo Machiavelli but are in fact from someone else. Did Niccolo Machiavelli say these? No. Each entry below pairs the line with the person who actually wrote it.
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Did Niccolo Machiavelli say this? No.
“The end justifies the means.”
Machiavelli is universally credited with this maxim but does not state it in this form anywhere in The Prince or the Discourses on Livy. The closest passage, in The Prince Chapter 18, says only that in the actions of princes, where there is no court of appeal, the end is regarded; the modern English aphorism is a later compression. Variants of the underlying idea appear earlier in Ovid's Heroides and in 17th-century Jesuit moral theology, particularly in Hermann Busenbaum's Medulla Theologiae Moralis (1650).
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Did Niccolo Machiavelli say this? No.
“The ends justify the means. (Variant: the end justifies the means)”
This is the most common mis-quotation attributed to Machiavelli, which is never found within his works.
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Did Niccolo Machiavelli say this? No.
“It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver.”
Quote also falsely attributed to Machiavelli, which does not originate from his texts, but has been popularized by internet sources. It is more than likely to be a variant of a quote from Fontaine's Fables (‘What greater pleasure than to cheat the cheater!)
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Did Niccolo Machiavelli say this? No.
“Politics have no relation to morals.”
This is a quote commonly attributed to Machiavelli, which originates from an unclear source.
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Did Niccolo Machiavelli say this? No.
“I am not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it.”
This is a quote by Newt Gingrich , first appearing in an article in the Los Angeles Times in 1991. [1]
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Did Niccolo Machiavelli say this? No.
“Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception.”
Quote falsely attributed to The Prince , which is not found there textually.