A ruler, then, must never stop thinking about war and preparing for war and he must work at it even more in peacetime than in war itself.
The thing most likely to bring about a ruler’s downfall is his neglect of the art of war; the thing most likely to win him power is becoming an expert in it.
Men are so thoughtless that they’ll opt for a food that tastes good without realizing that there’s a hidden poison in it.
Rome and Sparta stood for many centuries armed and free. The Swiss are extremely well armed and completely free.
It’s human nature to tie yourself to a leader as much for the services you’ve done him as the good he’s done you.
Get the violence over with as soon as possible; that way there’ll be less time for people to taste its bitterness and they’ll be less hostile. Favors, on the other hand, should be given out slowly, one by one, so that they can be properly savored.
Cruelty well used…is both short-lived and decisive, no more than is necessary to secure your position and then stop; you don’t go on being cruel but use the power it has given you to deliver maximum benefits to your subjects. Cruelty is badly used when you’re not drastic enough at the beginning, but grow increasingly cruel later on, rather than easing off.
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