Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

One must be a fox to recognize traps and a lion to frighten wolves

Dr. Thomas Fuller wrote: "With foxes, we must play the fox".

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.

Where the lion's skin will not reach, you must patch it out with the fox's.

A fox in its hour—bow to it.

The fox provides for himself, but God provides for the lion.

The Fox knowes much, but more he that catcheth him.

A prince being thus obliged to know well how to act as a beast must imitate the fox and the lion, for the lion cannot protect himself from snares, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves.

I'm Machiavelli's offspring, I'm the king of New York, king of the coast, one hand, I juggle them both.

The fox has many tricks. The hedgehog has but one. But that is the best of all.

The weak in courage is strong in cunning.

Weapons are created to be used. There's no place for the weak on this earth.

We avenge intellect when we dupe a fool, and it is a victory not to be despised for a fool is covered with steel and it is often very hard to find his vulnerable part.

Flee an enemy who knows your weakness.

A good general always makes you search for his weaknesses.

What we depend upon in a political leader is the fact that if necessary he will kill for us…. If he is not willing to shed blood we are afraid of him. He must protect us.

Deception is the knowledge of kings.

Hide your strength, bide your time.

There never yet has been a country which became powerful without knowledge. A man by his own strength alone cannot successfully combat a tiger, but by his intelligence, he can devise means to entrap him.

You never show what you are going to do; you always do what the opponent doesn't expect.

Harsh necessity, and the newness of my kingdom, force me to do such things and to guard my frontiers everywhere.

Coyote never loses. Because I change the rules of the games my enemies play. What are the rules of your game?

That is the rule of the Wilds: You must be bigger and stronger and tougher. You must hurt or be hurt.

Don’t let them see you weak.

Strange that creatures without backbones have the hardest shells.