From Chapter Three of "The Prince":
"[I]t must be noted, that men must either be caressed or else annihilated; they will revenge themselves for small injuries, but cannot do so for great ones; the injury therefore that we do to a man must be such that we need not fear his vengeance."
PS: The context is the conquest of another nation.
Posted by Yehupitz at July 21, 2004 09:57 AM