Niccolò Machiavelli (May 3, 1469 – June 21, 1527) was an Italian author, diplomat, philosopher, and historian during the height of the Renaissance period. He authored such famous works as “Discourses on Livy” and “The Art of War,” but he is most well known for his seminal work, “The Prince.” “The Prince” is a political treatise that expounds on gaining power, staying in power, and whether it is better to be feared or loved.
His work is sometimes seen as controversial for some of its moral ambiguity (such acts known today as “Machiavellian”). However, he nevertheless presents an accurate portrayal of political life during his time (some say today as well) and his work is filled with practical advice that still has meaning today. Machiavelli also wrote extensively about political systems, religion, philosophy, and classical history. His work continues to be quite influential and is cited frequently by politicians, business leaders, thought leaders, and historians.
Machiavelli wrote from practice, not theory. He served the Florentine Republic for fourteen years as a diplomat and Second Chancellor, carrying missions to the courts of France and the Papacy, and he rode with Cesare Borgia while Borgia carved out a state in central Italy, watching at close quarters how power is gained, used, and lost. When the Medici returned to Florence in 1512 he was dismissed, and the following year he was arrested and tortured on suspicion of conspiring against them. Retired to a small farm, he spent his enforced leisure writing the books that made his name, The Prince among them, partly in hope that the work would win him back a post. The hope failed. He died in 1527 with the book still unpublished, and the Church later placed his works on its Index of prohibited books. His surname became an adjective.
Core Ideas
- Build dikes in calm weather. Fortune is a river that floods the unprepared, so the work done in peaceful times is what resists her when she rises.
- Take both natures, the lion and the fox. The lion frightens wolves but walks into traps; the fox smells the traps but cannot fight the wolves. A ruler has to know when to use each.
- Imitate the excellent. Follow the paths trodden by great men, and aim higher than the mark, as a prudent archer does, so what you shoot lands where you intend.
- If you cannot be both, be feared. Men break faith with a man they love sooner than one they fear, but a ruler must stay clear of being hated, because hatred is what pulls him down.
- Match your method to the times. A man prospers while his way of proceeding suits the moment, and fails when the moment changes and he cannot.
These ideas run through this site’s companion essay, Be Prepared — Machiavelli.
Niccolò Machiavelli Quotes
“The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.”
The Prince, Chapter 22
“A wise prince should never remain idle in peaceful times, but by industry make such good use of the time as may serve him in adversity, so that when fortune changes she may find him prepared to resist her blows.”
The Prince, Chapter 14
“Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception.”
“All courses of action are risky, so prudence is not in avoiding danger (it’s impossible), but calculating risk and acting decisively. Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer.”
“Since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved”
The Prince, Chapter 17
“Men are so simple of mind, and so much dominated by their immediate needs, that a deceitful man will always find plenty who are ready to be deceived.”
The Prince, Chapter 18
“A prudent man should always follow in the path trodden by great men and imitate those who are most excellent, so that if he does not attain to their greatness, at any rate he will get some tinge of it.”
The Prince, Chapter 6
Niccolò Machiavelli Books
“The Prince” – by Niccolò Machiavelli, translated by Peter Bondanella. The translation to read: plain modern English that keeps Machiavelli’s edge, with notes identifying the men and cities behind the examples.
“Discourses on Livy” – by Niccolò Machiavelli, translated by Harvey C. Mansfield and Nathan Tarcov. The larger work. Where The Prince studies the single ruler, the Discourses study Rome’s republic and how a free people stays free, and this is the standard scholarly translation.
“Art of War” – by Niccolò Machiavelli. His dialogue on war, citizen soldiers, and discipline, and the only major work he saw published in his lifetime.
You can browse all of Niccolò Machiavelli’s quotes in the SAGE QUOTE LIBRARY. For additional information, quotes, and books on similarly relevant famous individuals, please visit the SAGE PROFILES page on the site. Please also visit the SAGE BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS page for many other great reads sure to add to your worldly wisdom. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
