…he who seeks to deceive will always find someone who will allow himself to be deceived. - Niccolò Machiavelli
""
…he who seeks to deceive will always find someone who will allow himself to be deceived.
English
Collect this quote
About
Niccolò Machiavelli
Niccolò Machiavelli (3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527) was an Italian political philosopher, historian, musician, poet, and romantic comedic playwright. Machiavelli was also a key figure in realist political theory, crucial to European statecraft during the Renaissance.
Biography information from
Wikiquote·
Portrait adapted from
Wikimedia Commons, Santi di Tito (Public domain / CC0)
Also Known As
Native Name:
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli
Alternative Names:
Nicolas Machiavel
•
Machiavel
•
Niccolo di Bernardo dei Machiavelli
•
Niccolo Machiavelli
•
Nicolò Machiavelli
•
Nicolo Machiavelli
•
Machiavelli
•
N. Machiavelli
Any man who tries to be good all the time is bound to come to ruin among the great number who are not good. Hence a prince who wants to keep his authority must learn how not to be good, and use that knowledge, or refrain from using it, as necessity requires.
Still, to slaughter fellow-citizens, to betray friends, to be devoid of honour, pity, and religion, cannot be counted as merits, for these are means which may lead to power, but which confer no glory.
Works in ChatGPT, Claude, or Any AI
Add semantic quote search to your AI assistant via MCP. One command setup.
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.
