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Home  »  Dictionary of Quotations  »  Machiavelli

James Wood, comp. Dictionary of Quotations. 1899.

Machiavelli

All the armed prophets have conquered, all the unarmed have perished.

Degli uomini si può dire questo generalmente che sieno ingrate, volubili simulatori, fuggitori pericoli, cupidi di guadagno—Of mankind we may say in general that they are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, intent on a whole skin and greedy of gain.

Gli uomini hanno men rispetto di offendere uno che si facci amare che uno che si facci temere—Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear.

It is not titles that reflect honour on men, but men on their titles.

Men are less afraid of injuring one who awakens love than one who inspires fear.

Ognuno vede quel che tu pari, pochi sentono quel che tu sei—Every one sees what you seem, few know what you are.

Spesso la tardità ti toglie l’occasione et la celerità le forze—Tardiness often robs us of opportunity, and too great despatch of our force.

The promise given was a necessity of the past; the word broken is a necessity of the present.

War ought to be the only study of a prince.