Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are, and those few dare not oppose themselves to the opinion of the many, who have the majesty of the state to defend them.
Niccolo MachiavelliRead
I say that every prince must desire to be considered merciful and not cruel. He must, however, take care not to misuse this mercifulness.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A leader should be seen as merciful rather than cruel, but must be cautious not to let compassion lead to weakness.
In this quote, Machiavelli emphasizes the importance of a ruler being perceived as merciful to maintain authority and public favor. However, he warns that mercy should not be misapplied or result in ineffective leadership. The balance between compassion and strength is crucial for successful governance.
Themes
LeadershipMercyStrengthGovernanceAuthority
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about effective leadership, one might use this quote to illustrate the delicate balance between mercy and strength.
More from Niccolo Machiavelli
All quotes βFor that reason, let a prince have the credit of conquering and holding his state, the means will always be considered honest, and he will be praised by everybody because the vulgar are always taken by what a thing seems to be and by what comes of it; and in the world there are only the vulgar, for the few find a place there only when the many have no ground to rest on.
Niccolo MachiavelliRead
Many have imagined republics and principalities which have never been seen or known to exist in reality; for how we live is so far removed from how we ought to live, that he who abandons what is done for what ought to be done, will rather bring about his own ruin than his preservation.
Niccolo MachiavelliRead
Whoever conquers a free town and does not demolish it commits a great error and may expect to be ruined himself.
Niccolo MachiavelliRead
And here one must not that hatred is acquired just as much by means of good actions as by bad ones; and so, as I said above, if a prince wishes to maintain the state, he is often obliged not to be good; because whenever that group which you believe you need to support you is corrupted, whether it be the common people, the soldiers, or the nobles, it is to your advantage to follow their inclinations in order to satisfy them; and then good actions are your enemy.
Niccolo MachiavelliRead
The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms.
Niccolo MachiavelliRead
Similar quotes
When you are on the management side, you still have to understand the artistic sensibility so that there is a dialogue with the creative side.
Bernard ArnaultRead
We must always refill and ensure there is a critical mass of leaders and activists committed to nonviolence and racial and economic justice who will keep seeding and building transforming movements.
Marian Wright EdelmanRead
Cavalry is useful before, during, and after the battle.
Napoleon BonaparteRead
When you're one of the leaders of the team, there are no days off.
Tom BradyRead
I don't think that there's a hard-and-fast deadline. . . .What we have said all along is that this is not an open-ended process, we are not in this just to talk for talk's sake. . . . We expect prompt, concrete steps to be taken over the next couple of weeks.
Barack ObamaRead
An executive should be a realist; and no one is less realistic than the cynic.
Peter DruckerRead