Machiavelli Quotes

Translating fragments from Machiavelli.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

Men cannot be given trouble without reward, nor can reward be taken from them without danger.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

but on their malevolensce and ignorance, and most of the times, it kills or imprisons or confines them, as happenned to an infinite number of Carthaginian captains and many Athenians.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

There is no easier way to ruin a republic where the authority belongs to the people than to get it into monnumental enterprises.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

But when ruin is born from this, there is born also, most often, the ruin of particular citizens who are asigned to such tasks: Because, having the people presupposed victory, when loss comes, guilt does not fall on fortune or the impotence of the governors,

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

Many times, if, through public and free suffrage, a high authority is given to a few citizens in order to reform the city, they would never reorder it according to the common utility, but always for the interest of their own party: Which brings not order, but greater disorder.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

When men seek not to fear, they start making others fear; and this injury they put upon another, as if it was necessary to offend or to be offended.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

See now the amount of praise and celebration Brutus received, and how, unable to condemn Caesar because of his might, they celebrated his enemy.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

Nobody should let himself deceive by the glory of Caesar, hearing him specially celebrated by the writers: Because those who praised him were corrupted by his fortune and awed by the duration of the empire, which, ruling under his name, would not allow writers to speak of him

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

freely.
But he who wants to know what those writers did not say, see what they said about Catiline.
And as much is Caesar more despicable, as the evil commited is more blameful than the evil wanted.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

If the princes are superior to the people in ordering laws, forming civile life, and creating new statutes and orders, people are so much superior in keeping things in order that, without a doubt, they add to the glory of him who orders them.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

If we review all the disorders of the people, all the disorders of the princes, all the glories of the people and all the glories of the princes, we will find the people to be, in goodness and glory, by far superior.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

This type of multitude, willing to avoid danger, must soon choose from among its own a boss to correct it, to keep it united and to think of its defense.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

On one hand, there is nothing more formidable than a unshackled multitude with no head, and on the other hand, there is nothing weaker. Because, althought they may have arms in hand, they are easy to put down provided that you have a stronghold to avoid the first thrust.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

Because, when their spirits have cooled down a little, and each of them sees they have to return home, they begin to doubt themselves and to think of their own well-being, either by taking flight or by coming to accord.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

To a licentius and tumultuous people, they can be given a well spoken good man, and they can easily be directed towards the correct path.
But nobody can talk with a wicked prince, and for him there is no more remedy than Iron.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

Where corruption is so abundant that laws are not enough to regulate it, there is need of a greater force to bring order; that is, a kingly hand, that with absolute and excessive power puts a stop to the excessive ambition and corruption of the powerful.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

It was not the title nor the rank of Dictator which made Rome servile, but the authority taken by citizens for their long stay in power: If there did not exist the dictatorial rank in Rome, there would have been some other; because force acquires a name easily, not a name forces.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

Prudent men always gain favor from their actions, in every single ocassion, even if necessity is forcing them to act in such way.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

A republic, among her other duties, must have to watch out that her citizens cannot make evil under the pretense of good; and that they have a reputation that helps, and does not harm, freedom.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

but impossible, to order themselves in such a way that allows them to live civilly and quietly.

[Machiavelli Quotes @BasedFiorentine]

If those cities that have been free since their beginnig, and thus corrected themselves, such as Rome, found a great difficulty in finding good laws to keep their freedom; it is no wonder that those cities which were servile from birth would find it, not only difficult,