He [the prince] holds to what is right when he can but knows how to do wrong when he must.

Niccolo Machiavelli

The Prince

Buy The Prince at Amazon Buy The Prince at Amazon
Read The Prince at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Moral relativism Expediency Political theory

Author

Niccolo Machiavelli

Source

The Prince

Medium

Treatise

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

Italian

Time

1532 1530s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Occupation

Philosopher Writer

From

Italy Europe

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Machiavelli, Niccolò. Il Principe [The Prince]. Rome: Antonio Blado d'Asola, 1532.

Current Citation

Machiavelli, Nicolò. The Prince, translated by Peter Bondanella. Oxford University Press, 2005.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Niccolo Machiavelli about moral relativism: “He [the prince] holds to what is right when he can but knows how…”
Download
A quote by Niccolo Machiavelli about moral relativism: “He [the prince] holds to what is right when he can but knows how…”
Download
A quote by Niccolo Machiavelli about moral relativism: “He [the prince] holds to what is right when he can but knows how…”
Download

Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote about Political theory

Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.

James Madison

Federalist 10

Buy The Federalist Papers at Amazon Buy The Federalist Papers at Amazon
Read Federalist No. 10 at the Library of Congress website
More information about this quote
Topic
Political leadership Checks and balances Political theory Politics

Author

James Madison
Source
Federalist 10 The Federalist Papers
Medium
Essay
Genre
Political literature
Language
English
Time
1787 1780s 18th century
Era
American Revolutionary Period
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Madison, James [published as Publius]. "Federalist No. 10: The Same Subject Continued: The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection." Daily Advertiser, 22 Nov. 1787.

Current Citation

Madison, James. "No. 10: An extensive republic a remedy for mischiefs of faction.--Madison." The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States, edited by Robert Scigliano. The Modern Library, 2001.

Another quote from European Renaissance

You and I are past our dancing days.

William Shakespeare

Buy Romeo and Juliet at Amazon Buy Romeo and Juliet at Amazon
Read Romeo and Juliet at The Folger Shakespeare Library
More information about this quote
Topic
Dancing Youth vs. old age Aging
Speaker
Capulet

Author

William Shakespeare
Genre
Tragedy (play)
Language
English
Time
1597 1590s 16th century
Era
European Renaissance
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. London: John Danter, 1597, act 1, sc. 5.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Romeo and Juliet." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 1, sc. 5.

Another quote originally in Italian

We are moving toward a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as for certain and which has as its highest goal one's own ego and one's own desires.

Pope Benedict XVI

More information about this quote
Topic
Decline of religion Moral relativism
Speaker
Pope Benedict XVI
Medium
Sermon
Language
Italian
Time
2005 2000s 21st century
Authentication Score 2
Citation

Cardinal Ratzinger, Joseph (later Pope Benedict XVI). "Homily of His Eminence Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger." Conclave of cardinals, Mass. 18 Apr. 2005, St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Rome, Italy.