Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes

In war, practice dissimulation and you will succeed.

The art of war is to gain time when your strength is inferior.

The whole art of war consists of guessing at what is on the other side of the hill.

Nothing is of greater importance in time of war than in knowing how to make the best use of a fair opportunity when it is offered.

No proceeding is better than that which you have concealed from the enemy until the time you have executed it. To know how to recognize an opportunity in war, and take it, benefits you more than anything else. Nature creates few men brave, industry and training makes many. Discipline in war counts more than fury.

To make war all you need is intelligence. But to win you need talent and material.

Surprise becomes effective when we suddenly face the enemy at one point with far more troops than he expected. This type of numerical superiority is quite distinct from numerical superiority in general: it is the most powerful medium in the art of war.

Rapidity is the essence of war: take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots.

Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.

If the tanks succeed, then victory follows.

You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war.

The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.

Strategy is the most important department of the art of war, and strategical skill is the highest and rarest function of military genius.

War means fighting. The business of the soldier is to fight. ... To move swiftly, strike vigorously, and secure all the fruits of victory is the secret of successful war.

Read over and over again the campaigns of Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, Gustavus, Turenne, Eugene and Frederic. ... This is the only way to become a great general and master the secrets of the art of war.

A prince must not have any other object nor any other thought… but war, its institutions, and its discipline; because that is the only art befitting one who commands.

There is only one favorable moment in war; talent consists in knowing how to seize it.

In war there is but one favorable moment; the great art is to seize it!

What enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is foreknowledge.

Ground which can be freely traversed by both sides is called accessible.

Sometimes it has been of great moment while the fight is going on, to disseminate words that pronounce the enemies' captain to be dead, or to have been conquered by another part of the army. Many times this has given victory to him who used it.

Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted.

It is the rule in war, if ten times the enemy's strength, surround them; if five times, attack them; if double, be able to divide them; if equal, engage them; if fewer, defend against them; if weaker, be able to avoid them.

Nothing is more difficult than the art of maneuvering for advantageous positions.

Opportunity in war is usually of greater value than bravery... Terrain is often of more value than bravery... Bravery is of more value than numbers.