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" Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries - for heavy ones they cannot. "

Niccolo Machiavelli

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" Before all else, be armed. "

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" The new ruler must determine all the injuries that he will need to inflict. He must inflict them once and for all. "

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" There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. "

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" Whoever conquers a free town and does not demolish it commits a great error and may expect to be ruined himself. "

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" The wish to acquire more is admittedly a very natural and common thing; and when men succeed in this they are always praised rather than condemned. But when they lack the ability to do so and yet want to acquire more at all costs, they deserve condemnation for their mistakes. "

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" It is much more secure to be feared than to be loved. "

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" To understand the nature of the people one must be a prince, and to understand the nature of the prince, one must be of the people. "

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" It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver. "

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" Men ought either to be indulged or utterly destroyed, for if you merely offend them they take vengeance, but if you injure them greatly they are unable to retaliate, so that the injury done to a man ought to be such that vengeance cannot be feared. "

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" Hatred is gained as much by good works as by evil. "

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" When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred. "

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" It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles. "

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" Severities should be dealt out all at once, so that their suddenness may give less offense; benefits ought to be handed ought drop by drop, so that they may be relished the more. "

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" Benefits should be conferred gradually; and in that way they will taste better. "

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" A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example. "

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