Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them. And I shall dare to say this also, that to have them and always to observe them is injurious, and that to appear to have them is useful; to appear merciful, faithful, humane, religious, upright, and to be so, but with a mind so framed that should you require not to be so, you may be able and know how to change to the opposite.

One should judge a man mainly from his depravities. Virtues can be faked. Depravities are real.

Never trust a man who speaks well of everybody.

Honesty is of God and dishonesty of the devil; the devil was a liar from the beginning.

Much prayer, but no piety.

Fakery in allegiance to the truth.

Governor [Myron] Herrick is not a bad man; he is simply weak. He is one of those men who can do dishonest things honestly.

What most men call their conscience is imaginary virtue switching left or right according to self-interest.

You can be dressed the best and have a wicked heart.

A lot of players act one way with teammates, one way with reporters, another way for fans, another for their friends. I'm just me all the time. I'm normal. Everyone else in the NFL is weird.

The virtuous will be sure to speak uprightly; but those whose speech is upright may not be virtuous.

Observe this, that tho a woman swear, forswear, lie, dissemble, back-bite, be proud, vain, malicious, anything, if she secures the main chance, she's still virtuous; that's a maxim.

The lie is so vile, that even if it were in speaking well of godly things, it would take off something from God's grace; and Truth is so excellent, that if it praises but small things they become noble.

Courage cannot be counterfeited. It is one virtue that escapes hypocrisy.

That an author's work is the mirror of his mind is a position that has led to very false conclusions. If Satan himself were to write a book it would be in praise of virtue, because the good would purchase it for use, and the bad for ostentation.

Fewer possess virtue, than those who wish us to believe that they possess it.

You should not live one way in private, another in public.

Those who make use of devotion as a means and end generally are hypocrites.

Dad was also a deeply, unabashedly religious man... , But he never made the fatal mistake of so many politicians - wearing his faith on his sleeve to gain political advantage.

A man may be very sincere in good principles, without having good practice.

Do not be deceived by a man's eloquence; rather whoever fulfils trusts and refrains from impugning people's honour is a real man.

Never chase a lie. Let it alone, and it will run itself to death. I can work out a good character much faster than anyone can lie me out of it

Virtue sometimes pretends. Vice is always sincere.

You smile with pomp and rigor, you talk of benevolence and virtue; I act with benevolence and virtue and get murdered time after time.

Faithful heart may have froward tongue.