Machiavelli Quote

I am doing my work, as per usual, and wish to share one of the more amusing quotes of Machiavelli today. He explains an interlude between the plebs and the Dicemvirate aka the Ten and one such of the Ten was called Appius and was not particularly honest nor good at being dishonest as Machiavelli points out, he did great in convincing the plebs that he was on their side but changed coats to quickly upon gaining power to retain friends.

So, the Ten oppress the plebs to the point that they demand satisfaction, they want power they say and they also want the Ten given up to their power for burning at the stake. To which the aristocracy says, demand only your power back do not ask for the end of tyranny and evil when you propose an evil act yourself. And Machiavelli, ever the "moral of the story" kind of guy sums up the episode.

"This teaches us plainly how stupid and foolish it is when asking for something to announce 'I propose to do such and such a wrong thing with it.' For one should not declare ones intentions, but should seek to get what one desires anyhow. There is, for instance, no need in asking someone for a weapon to say 'I propose to kill you with it', since you can satisfy your appetite once you have the weapon in your hands." [Discourses I.44]

Potentially one of the lesser moral statements of Machiavelli but amusing (depending on your sense of humor) but i appreciate his interpretation of events. He doesn't condemn the plebs for their violence (though he condemns violence elsewhere so its probably implied) but complains at them for being foolish for announcing an evil plan. Simply take action, get what you want and then reveal what you wanted it for. And I like the simplicity of "you can satisfy your appetite once you have the weapon in your hands." But you need the weapon first :)