The Prince

you wish to please me, and to bring success and honour to yourself, do right and study, because others will help you if you help yourself."

Men will not look at things as they really are, but as they wish them to be—and are ruined

Men will not look at things as they really are, but as they wish them to be—and are ruined

For he who innovates will have for his enemies all those who are well off under the existing order of things, and only lukewarm supporters in those who might be better off under the new. This lukewarm temper arises partly from the fear of adversaries who have the laws on their side, and partly from the incredulity of mankind, who will never admit the merit of anything new, until they have seen it proved by the event.

not­with­stand­ing

Never­the­less

in­sur­rec­tions

even so to un­der­stand the nature of the people it needs to be a prince, and to un­der­stand that of princes it needs to be of the people.

“Quis eo fuit un­quam in par­ti­un­dis re­bus, in definiendis, in ex­planandis pres­sior?”

Men will not look at things as they really are, but as they wish them to be—and are ruined.