Francesco Guicciardini QUOTES

1 " It is our nature to be more moved by hope than fear. "

2 " Since there is nothing so well worth having as friends, never lose a chance to make them. "

― Francesco Guicciardini

3 " The return we reap from generous actions is not always evident. "

― Francesco Guicciardini

4 " But it is dangerous to follow Examples, if they do not correspond in the most material Circumstances with the present State of our Affairs; are not conducted with equal Judgment, or attended with the like Prospect of Success. "

― Francesco Guicciardini ,

5 " Guardate quanto gli uomini ingannano loro medesimi: ciascuno reputa brutti e peccati che lui non fa, leggieri quegli che fa; e con questa regola si misura spesso el male e el bene, più che col considerare e gradi e qualità delle cose. "

― Francesco Guicciardini

6 " Né e pazzi né e savi non possono finalmente resistere a quello che ha a essere: però io non lessi mai cosa che mi paressi meglio detta che quella che disse colui: "Ducunt volentes fata, nolentes trahunt". "

― Francesco Guicciardini

7 " Ferdinando [King of Naples] resolv’d, in good Earnest, to try how to compromise the Affair of the Castles; being persuaded, that that when this Obstacle was remov'd, Matters would easily return into the fame peaceable Channel. But by removing the Causes, the Effects that sprung from them are not always remov'd. For, as it frequently happens, that Resolutions taken out of Fear seldom appear sufficient to the Fearful. "

― Francesco Guicciardini , The History of Italy

8 " When wicked or ignorant men govern, it is not surprising that virtue and goodness are not esteemed. For the former hate them, and the latter do not know them. "

― Francesco Guicciardini , Maxims and Reflections: Ricordi

9 " Erra chi dice che le lettere guastano e' cervelli degli uomini, perché è forse vero in chi l'ha debole; ma dove lo truovano buono, lo fanno perfetto; perché el buono naturale congiunto col buono accidentale fa nobilissima composizione. "

― Francesco Guicciardini

10 " Capponi and his Colleagues being one Day in the King's Presence, while one of the royal Secretaries was reading over the immoderate Articles which were proposed as the ultimate Propositions on the King's Part, he fell in a Passion, and violently snatching the Paper out of the Secretary's Hand, tore it to Pieces before the King's Face; adding in a high Tone of Voice, 'Since you demand such dishonourable Conditions, sound your Trumpets, and we will sound our Bellls;' By which he intended as much a if he had said in plain Words, 'Let the Differences be decided by Arms.' With this Speech, and with the same Air of Indignation, followed by his Colleagues, he abruptly left the room. "

― Francesco Guicciardini ,

11 " [[of Ludovico Szforza] He was become immoderately vain, and little considering the Inconstancy of Human Affairs, was wont to say ‘He was the Son of Fortune and could manage his Mother as he pleased. "

― Francesco Guicciardini , The History of Italy, Vol. 3: Containing the Fifth and Sixth Books of the History (Classic Reprint)