Quotes on the Prince
The Prince Quotes
Political:
• “…and in the actions of men, and especially of princes, from which there is no appeal, the end justifies the means.” Pg. 94
Meaning: As long as your end result is good, your way to get there, no matter how brutal, cruel, cunning, etc, will be justified.
• “…when dominions are acquired in a providence differing in language, law, and customs, the difficulties to be overcome are great…one of the best and most certain means of doing so would be for the new ruler to take up his residence there. This would render possession more secure and durable… The other and better remedy is to plant colonies in one or two of those places which form as it were the keys of the land, for it is necessary either to do this or to maintain a large force of armed men. The colonies will cost the prince little…” Pg. 36-37
Meaning: Two ways to acquire a foreign providence is to one; go and live there to gain trust from the people there, and two; plant a colony there to establish order.
• “When those states which have been acquired are accustomed to live at liberty under their own laws, there are three ways of holding them. The first is to despoil them; the second is to go and live there in person; the third is to allow them to live under their own laws, taking tribute of them, and creating within the country a government composed of a few who will keep it friendly to you.” Pg. 46
Meaning: To govern a state that lives under its own laws, you can despoil (destroy) them, live there in person, or allow to live under their own laws as long as they remain loyal to their prince.
• “Well committed may be called those (if it is permissible to use the word well of evil) which are perpetrated once for the need of securing one’s self, and which afterwards are not persisted in, but are exchanged for measures as useful to the subjects as possible. Cruelties ill committed are those which, although at first few, increase rather than diminish with time.” Pg. 62
Political:
• “…and in the actions of men, and especially of princes, from which there is no appeal, the end justifies the means.” Pg. 94
Meaning: As long as your end result is good, your way to get there, no matter how brutal, cruel, cunning, etc, will be justified.
• “…when dominions are acquired in a providence differing in language, law, and customs, the difficulties to be overcome are great…one of the best and most certain means of doing so would be for the new ruler to take up his residence there. This would render possession more secure and durable… The other and better remedy is to plant colonies in one or two of those places which form as it were the keys of the land, for it is necessary either to do this or to maintain a large force of armed men. The colonies will cost the prince little…” Pg. 36-37
Meaning: Two ways to acquire a foreign providence is to one; go and live there to gain trust from the people there, and two; plant a colony there to establish order.
• “When those states which have been acquired are accustomed to live at liberty under their own laws, there are three ways of holding them. The first is to despoil them; the second is to go and live there in person; the third is to allow them to live under their own laws, taking tribute of them, and creating within the country a government composed of a few who will keep it friendly to you.” Pg. 46
Meaning: To govern a state that lives under its own laws, you can despoil (destroy) them, live there in person, or allow to live under their own laws as long as they remain loyal to their prince.
• “Well committed may be called those (if it is permissible to use the word well of evil) which are perpetrated once for the need of securing one’s self, and which afterwards are not persisted in, but are exchanged for measures as useful to the subjects as possible. Cruelties ill committed are those which, although at first few, increase rather than diminish with time.” Pg. 62