"He who blinds himself to reality must prepare to be destroyed."

"For of men it may generally be affirmed that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed they are entirely yours, offering you their blood, their property, their…"

"Any man who tries to be good all the time is bound to come to ruin among the great number of men who are not good."

"A prince must be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves."

"Therefore a prince, not being able to use this virtue of liberality in such a way that it may be recognized, except to his cost, a wise prince ought not to mind the reputation of being a miser."