34 Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes On War

Показать описание

- 34 Niccolo Machiavelli Quotes On War.
- Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was an Italian diplomat, philosopher, politician, historian and writer who lived during the Renaissance.

--- QUOTES ---
He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command.
There is nothing as likely to succeed as what the enemy believes you cannot attempt.
Wars begin when you will, but they do not end when you please.
Before all else, be armed.
A battle that you win, cancels all your mistakes.
There is no avoiding war; it can only be postponed to the advantage of others.
Among other evils which being unarmed brings you, it causes you to be despised.
War is just when it is necessary; arms are permissible when there is no hope except in arms.
To know in war how to recognize an opportunity and seize it is better than anything else.
The forces of adversaries are more diminished by the loss of those who flee than of those who are killed.
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.
So far as he is able, a prince should stick to the path of good, but, if the necessity arises, he should know how to follow evil.
No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution.
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.
I say that every prince must desire to be considered merciful and not cruel. He must, however, take care not to misuse this mercifulness.
A battle that you win, cancels any other bad action of yours. In the same way, by losing one, all the good things worked by you before become vain.
The sinews of war are not gold, but good soldiers; for gold alone will not procure good soldiers, but good soldiers will always procure gold.
A prince being thus obliged to know well how to act as a beast, must imitate the fox and the lion, for the lion cannot protect himself from snares, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves.
Though fraud in all other actions be odious, yet in matters of war it is laudable and glorious, and he who overcomes his enemies by stratagem is as much to be praised as he who overcomes them by force.
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.
Never lead your soldiers to battle if you have not first confirmed their spirit and known them to be without fear and ordered; and never test them except when you see that they hope to win.
Knowing how to fight made men more bold, because no one fears doing what it seems to him he has learned to do. Therefore, the ancients wanted their citizens to be trained in every warlike action.
And above all you ought to guard against leading an army to fight which is afraid or which is not confident of victory. For the greatest sign of an impending loss is when one does not believe one can win.
In the armies and among every ten men there is one of more life, of more heart, or at least of more authority, who with his courage, with words and by example keeps the others firm and disposed to fight.
There is simply no comparison between a man who is armed and one who is not. It is simply unreasonable to expect that an armed man should obey one who is unarmed, or that an unarmed man should remain safe and secure when his servants are armed.
Where the very safety of the country depends upon the resolution to be taken, no consideration of justice or injustice, humanity or cruelty, nor of glory or of shame, should be allowed to prevail. But putting all other considerations aside, the only question should be: What course will save the life and liberty of the country?
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.
A prince must not have any objective nor any thought, nor take up any art, other than the art of war and its ordering and discipline; because it is the only art that pertains to him who commands. And it is of such virtue that not only does it maintain those who were born princes, but many times makes men rise to that rank from private station.