Niccolò Machiavelli Says…
Posted by Anthony on July 15, 2009
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.
Hence it comes that all armed prophets have been victorious, and all unarmed prophets have been destroyed.
The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms; and as there cannot be good laws where the state is not well armed, it follows that where they are well armed they have good laws.
Many have imagined republics and principalities which have never been seen or known to exist in reality; for how we live is so far removed from how we ought to live, that he who abandons what is done for what ought to be done, will rather bring about his own ruin than his preservation.
One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.
A prince ought to have two fears, one from within, on account of his subjects, the other from without, on account of external powers.
Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.
So in all human affairs one notices, if one examines them closely, that it is impossible to remove one inconvenience without another emerging.
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.
Good order and discipline in an army are more to be depended upon than ferocity.
