Prince of Foxes

But, learn that although all men are for sale, they don’t sell themselves to all buyers.

Orsini did not wait for compliments. Reserve is best countered by reserve.

And all of this from what source? A wayside farm in the Polesine. It illustrates the adage that the deeper the dung, the richer the rose. Who remembers the dung when the rose has blossomed?

Your Excellence, it is not usually the obvious that is dangerous.

It’s what I’ve always said. To be alive is a reflection on one’s character.

He realized all at once that ambition and love might not make good bedfellows, that a choice between them might be necessary.

Speak again with Messer Simone and fish up what you can. Fair weather or foul, it’s the part of wisdom to be prepared.

As there can be no peace among individual men where there is no law, so there can be no peace among states who are subject to no law. Treaties are futile; our holy religion itself fails to secure peace. The curse of Italy—it may be of the world—is that cities and states acknowledge no law superior to themselves. For only where law is, there is peace.