Quotes
For injuries ought to be done all at one time, so that, being tasted less, they offend less; benefits ought to be given little by little, so that the flavour of them may last longer.
And again, he need not make himself uneasy at incurring a reproach for those vices without which the state can only be saved with difficulty, for if everything is considered carefully, it will be found that something which looks like virtue, if followed, would be his ruin; whilst something else, which looks like vice, yet followed brings him security and prosperity.
Mercenaries and auxiliaries are useless and dangerous; and if one holds his state based on these arms, he will stand neither firm nor safe; for they are disunited, ambitious, and without discipline, unfaithful, valiant before friends, cowardly before enemies; they have neither the fear of God nor fidelity to men, and destruction is deferred only so long as the attack is; for in peace one is robbed by them, and in war by the enemy.
Impressions
🔮Hidden Depths
💡Learnt A Lot
🎯Worthwhile
👍Worth reading
An excellent work that depicts premodern politics on the eve of the end of
the medieval period and the beginning of The Renaissance .
Basically: If you watched Game of Thrones or the Godfather , you know how things are. But this work is important for further analysis using historical realities from classical antiquity to Machiavelli's time , for his analysis and experience are indeed insightful into how power is obtained and maintained without ending up like say, Ned stark and Goffery.
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