Men rise from one ambition to another: first, they seek to secure themselves against attack, and then they attack others.

Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear.

The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.

A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example.

Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions.