Alain-René Lesage Quotes

If you think of paying court to the men in power, your eternal ruin is assured.

People in power, they're so used to people kind of playing up to them.

Politics is its own world. It is a court and if the king's eye lights on you, you are a powerful figure. If the king's eye wanders elsewhere, you are out, whatever your title.

When we think we lead, we are most led.

The more powerful you become, the less likely it is that people will tell you the truth. It must be why the 'Harry Potter' books become so bloated as the series progresses; think of the beautiful, precise editing of books 1-3 drowned in a mire of sycophancy and yea-saying.

To be flattered is grateful, even when we know that our praises are not believed by those who pronounce them; for they prove, at least, our power, and show that our favour is valued, since it is purchased by the meanness of falsehood.

You carry forever the fingerprint that comes from being under someone's thumb.

Lying has a kind of respect and reverence with it. We pay a person the compliment of acknowledging his superiority whenever we lie to him.

Never hold discussions with the monkey when the organ grinder is in the room.

Influence is a very unpleasant subject and I deal with it in a maybe irresponsible way, which is to really ignore it. It would be a nightmare if we started to really think about it; it would tie our hands, it would tie everyone else's hands.

So I still seized the power, but I felt that if I officially made myself the boss, in black and white, it would be too intimidating for the other producers and the other men who worked on the show. In other words, I had the power, but I gave them the title.

But there is a difference between cozying up to power and being close to power.

Once you have power, you are inevitably surrounded by people who have their own agendas and will tell you whatever advances them.

The slave has but one master, the ambitious man has as many as there are persons whose aid may contribute to the advancement of his fortunes.

I don't care who does the electing, so long as I get to do the nominating.

Power over others is weakness disguised as strength.

In order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant.

Flattery was one of Kissinger's principal tools in winning over Nixon, and a tool he employed shamelessly.

Deceive the rich and powerful if you will, but don't insult them.

In conspiracies, men who know what they wanted commonly ended by controlling the men who did not.

Politics is the art of putting people under obligation to you.

I allow the public to believe that I have more influence with the King than I do in reality.

We lead them to believe that we are in complete control over every aspect of their lives.

Power over a man's support is a power over his will.

Persons in high situations must particularly guard themselves against selfishness and vanity. An individual in a high and important situation will easily see a great many persons eager to please the first, and to flatter and encourage the last.