Quotes from The Prince

Quotations follow the Tim Parks translation (Penguin Classics, 2009) — our recommended edition.

1. 2

   It is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with.

2. 3

   The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.

3. 4

   A prince, therefore, being compelled knowingly to adopt the beast, ought to choose the fox and the lion; because the lion cannot defend himself against snares and the fox cannot defend himself against wolves. Therefore, it is necessary to be a fox to discover the snares and a lion to terrify the wolves.

4. 5

   Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.

5. 6

   Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are, and those few dare not oppose themselves to the opinion of the many.

6. 7

   Men are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed they are yours entirely.

7. 8

   It is better to be adventurous than cautious, because fortune is a woman, and if you wish to keep her under it is necessary to beat and ill-use her.

8. 9

   Fortune is the arbiter of one-half of our actions, but that she still leaves us to direct the other half, or perhaps a little less.

9. 10

   It is necessary for a prince wishing to hold his own to know how to do wrong, and to make use of it or not according to necessity.

10. 11

    A prince ought not to mind the reproach of cruelty; because with a few examples he will be more merciful than those who, through too much mercy, allow disorders to arise.

11. 12

    A wise lord cannot, nor ought he to, keep faith when such observance may be turned against him, and when the reasons that caused him to pledge it exist no longer.

12. 13

    Hence it is that all armed prophets have conquered, and the unarmed ones have been destroyed.

13. 14

    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.

14. 15

    Men ought either to be well treated or crushed, because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries, of more serious ones they cannot.

15. 16

    For injuries ought to be done all at one time, so that, being tasted less, they offend less; benefits ought to be given little by little, so that the flavour of them may last longer.

16. 17

    Men more quickly forget the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony.

17. 18

    Love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails.

18. 19

    A man who wishes to act entirely up to his professions of virtue soon meets with what destroys him among so much that is evil.

19. 20

    He who neglects what is done for what ought to be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation.

20. 21

    Men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, because it belongs to everybody to see you, to few to come in touch with you.

21. 22

    The injury that is to be done to a man ought to be of such a kind that one does not stand in fear of revenge.

22. 23

    He who has known best how to employ the fox has succeeded best.