Men never do good unless necessity drives them to it; but when they are free to choose and can do just as they please, confusion and disorder become rampant.

This return of Republics back to their principles also results from the simple virtue of one man, without depending on any law that excites him to any execution: none the less, they are of such influence and example that good men desire to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life contrary to those examples.

A prudent man should always follow in the path trodden by great men and imitate those who are most excellent.

Wars begin when you will, but they do not end when you please. Variant translation: Wars are begun at will but not ended at will.

It is enough to ask somebody for his weapons without saying 'I want to kill you with them', because when you have his weapons in hand, you can satisfy your desire.

In the land of the blind the one-eyed man is lord.

The demands of a free populace, too, are very seldom harmful to liberty, for they are due either to the populace being oppressed or to the suspicious that it is going to be oppressed... and, should these impressions be false, a remedy is provided in the public platform on which some man of standing can get up, appeal to the crowd, and show that it is mistaken. And though, as Tully remarks, the populace may be ignorant, it is capable of grasping the truth and readily yields when a man, worthy of confidence, lays the truth before it.

It is not titles that make men illustrious, but men who make titles illustrious.

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.

When Scipio became consul and was keen on getting the province of Africa, promising that Carthage should be completely destroyed, and the senate would not agree to this because Fabius Maximus was against it, he threatened to appeal to the people, for he knew full well how pleasing such projects are to the populace.

One must never forget to look at the aim of a matter.

For as when much superfluous matter has gathered in simple bodies, nature makes repeated efforts to remove and purge it away, thereby promoting the health of these bodies, so likewise as regards that composite body the human race, when every province of the world so teems with inhabitants that they can neither subsist where they are nor remove elsewhere, every region being equally crowded and over-peopled, and when human craft and wickedness have reached their highest pitch, it must needs come about that the world will purge herself in one or another of these three ways, to the end that men, becoming few and contrite, may amend their lives and live with more convenience.

I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for adulation is lacking.

It is easier for the prince to make friends of those men who were contented under the former government, and are therefore his enemies, than of those who, being discontented with it, were favourable to him and encouraged him to seize it. 

It is truly a marvelous thing to consider to what greatness Athens arrived in the space of one hundred years after she freed herself from the tyranny of Pisistratus; but, above all, it is even more marvelous to consider the greatness Rome reached when she freed herself from her kings. The reason is easy to understand, for it is the common good and not private gain that makes cities great. Yet, without a doubt, this common good is observed only in republics, for in them everything that promotes it is practised, and however much damage it does to this or that private individual, those who benefit from the said common good are so numerous that they are able to advance in spite of the inclination of the few citizens who are oppressed by it.

Fear of evil is greater than the evil itself.

So in all human affairs one notices, if one examines them closely, that it is impossible to remove one inconvenience without another emerging.

No proceeding is better than that which you have concealed from the enemy until the time you have executed it. To know how to recognize an opportunity in war, and take it, benefits you more than anything else. Nature creates few men brave, industry and training makes many. Discipline in war counts more than fury.

The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.

The end of the republic is to enervate and to weaken all other bodies so as to increase its own body.

Bad company will lead a man to the gallows!

I am firmly convinced, therefore, that to set up a republic which is to last a long time, the way to set about it is to constitute it as Sparta and Venice were constituted; to place it in a strong position, and so to fortify it that no one will dream of taking it by a sudden assault; and, on the other hand, not to make it so large as to appear formidable to its neighbors. It should in this way be able to enjoy its form of government for a long time. For war is made on a commonwealth for two reasons: to subjugate it, and for fear of being subjugated by it.

That which is good for the enemy harms you, and that which is good for you harms the enemy.

A prince who is not wise himself will never take good advice.

There is no conversation more boring than the one where everybody agrees.

The world is but a perpetual see-saw.

We can be knowledgeable with other men's knowledge, but we cannot be wise with other men's wisdom.

There is no passion so contagious as that of fear.

The worst of my actions or conditions seem not so ugly unto me as I find it both ugly and base not to dare to avouch for them.

We only labor to stuff the memory, and leave the conscience and the understanding unfurnished and void.

There is no pleasure to me without communication: there is not so much as a sprightly thought comes into my mind that it does not grieve me to have produced alone, and that I have no one to tell it to.

There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.

When I am attacked by gloomy thoughts, nothing helps me so much as running to my books. They quickly absorb me and banish the clouds from my mind.

There is nothing more notable in Socrates than that he found time, when he was an old man, to learn music and dancing, and thought it time well spent.

There is a plague on Man, the opinion that he knows something.

Who does not in some sort live to others, does not live much to himself.

Those that will combat use and custom by the strict rules of grammar do but jest.

There is a sort of gratification in doing good which makes us rejoice in ourselves.

Wonder is the foundation of all philosophy, research is the means of all learning, and ignorance is the end.

Tis the sharpness of our mind that gives the edge to our pains and pleasures.

There is little less trouble in governing a private family than a whole kingdom. 

Writing does not cause misery. It is born of misery.

The world is all a carcass and vanity, The shadow of a shadow, a play And in one word, just nothing.

Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul.

It is the mind that maketh good or ill, That maketh wretch or happy, rich or poor.

Of all our infirmities, the most savage is to despise our being.

I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly.

My life has been full of terrible misfortunes most of which never happened.

He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.

The most manifest sign of wisdom is a continual cheerfulness; her state is like that in the regions above the moon, always clear and serene.