Francois de La Rochefoucauld Quotes

Perfect scheming demands omniscience.

But when the fox hath once got in his nose, He'll soon find means to make the body follow.

A cunning mind emphatically delights in its own cunning, and is the ready prey of cunning.

Littlefinger looked like a boy who had just taken a furtive bite from a honeycomb. He was TRYING to watch for bees, but the honey was so sweet.

The daily employment of cunning marks a little mind, it generally happens that those who resort to it in one respect to protect themselves lay themselves open to attack in another.

A good general always makes you search for his weaknesses.

Everybody has an agenda.

Deals, flattery, threats and promises are part of the process, certainly; do not flinch from any opportunity to scheme and plot, however sordid and demeaning it may appear.

I've always got a couple of tricks up my sleeve.

Oil rich boys . . . had a nice, sweet smile but when you finished meeting with them your socks were missing and you hadn't even noticed they'd taken your boots.

For the task assigned them Men aren't smart enough or sly Any rogue can blind them With a clever lie.

Don't think so much of your own Cunning, as to forget other Men's; a Cunning Man is overmatched by a cunning Man and a Half.

One must be cunning and wicked in this world.

We've got to fool the fools, and plan the plans. We must rule the rules, got to stand the stands.

There are a great many simpletons who know themselves to be so, and who make a very cunning use of their own simplicity.

Of course I'm trying to trick you! That's the way of the world, Baudelaires. Everyone runs around with their secrets and their schemes, trying to outwit everyone else.

Never let anyone know what you're thinking - always know what the other thinks of you.

Many undoubtedly owe their good fortune to the circumstance that they possess a pleasing smile with which they win hearts. Yet these hearts would do better to beware and to learn from Hamlet's tables that one may smile, and smile, and be a villain.

The devil knew what he did when he made men politic; he crossed himself by it.

Am I Machiavellian? I don't think I'm quite the mastermind people would have me be. Everything I do tends to be very successful and it may have something to do with the fact that I'm very good, not necessarily that I manipulate. But that doesn't often occur to people.

One man may be more cunning than another, but no one can be more cunning than all the world.

And she’s very clever, Peeta. Well, she was. Until you outfoxed her

Undoubtedly ... there is a meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation. What bears affinity to cunning is despicable.

A man has made great progress in cunning when he does not seem too clever to others.

Cheating is a sin, but honest cunning is simply prudence. It is a virtue. To be sure, it has a likeness to roguery, but that cannot be helped. He who has not learned to practice it is a fool.