The following are my favorite quotes from Italian diplomat, politician, historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer of the Renaissance period, Niccolò Machiavelli (3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527)
The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.
Politics have no relation to morals.
It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.
Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception.
The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.
Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality. All men have eyes, but few have the gift of penetration.
Hence it comes about that all armed Prophets have been victorious, and all unarmed Prophets have been destroyed.
A man who is used to acting in one way never changes; he must come to ruin when the times, in changing, no longer are in harmony with his ways.
The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.
If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.
For info about Machiavelli: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccolò_Machiavelli
Picture from https://www.google.com.tw/amp/s/www.biography.com/.amp/people/niccol%25C3%25B2-machiavelli-9392446?source=images