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• In truth, there never was any remarkable lawgiver amongst any people who did not resort to divine authority, as otherwise his laws would not have been accepted by the people
  for there are many good laws, the importance of which is known to be the sagacious lawgiver, but the reasons for which are not sufficiently evident to enable him to persuade others to submit to them...
• Chapter XIII OF Auxiliary, Mixed, and National Arms The second sort of unprofitable arms are auxiliarie
  by whom I mean, troops brought to help and protect you by a potentate whom you summon to your aid...
• If your enemy is buried in quicksand up to his neck, pull him out.
  If he is buried up to his eyes, step on his head. -- Niccoli Machiavelli, "The Prince...
• A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests.
  -- Niccolo Machiavelli...
• 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.
  -- Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527), "The Prince...
• The prince wants your daughter for his wife. Well, tell him his wife can't have her.
  -- Blackadder III...
• Guilty consciences always make people cowards. -- Pilpay (or Bidpai) -- The Prince and his Minister, Chap.
  iii, Fable iii...
• You always learn something by reading the classics.
  Particularly The Prince. I go through and look at this from this intellectual point of view....
• If you think of yourselves as helpless and ineffectual, it is certain that you will create a despotic government to be your master.
  The wise despot, therefore, maintains among his subjects a popular sense that they are helpless and ineffectual....