The intellect cannot be humbled; you can only take revenge on him by driving him away.
The ability to overcome oneself with courage - this has always seemed to me to be one of the greatest achievements of which a rational man can be proud.
The wise man does not need to listen to everything in its entirety, because he understands anyway.
The wise man never messes with the strong.
To assert something without being able to prove it with the help of the law is to slander.
Honest people love women and cheaters adore them.
Sincere repentance is no different from any good deed: it also brings you a reward.
You don't need to own an object to have an opinion on it.
I have no right to refer in my articles only to power, to religion, to politics, to morals, to officials, to loyal associations, to the opera house, as well as to other theaters and to all persons connected with something in particular ; otherwise, about everything else; I can write absolutely freely under the supervision of two or three censors.
Great politics is just the application of common sense in big business.
Numerous battalions are always right.
Only wake me when you have bad news; in case of good news, don't let it cross your mind.
In any large-scale enterprise you must always leave a particle, and to the will of chance.
In love, the only victory is flight.
Each soldier carries a marshal's baton in his knapsack.
In Russia there are no roads, only directions.
The armed forces are not always enough to defend the country, while a country defended by the people is invincible.
War consists of a series of unforeseen events.
An army of rams and led by a lion will always defeat an army of lions and led by a ram.
Imagination rules the world.
The winner is not the one who gave good advice, but the one who took responsibility for its fulfillment and gave the order for its execution.
Men of genius are meteorites destined to burn to light up their century.
There are two levers for influencing people: fear and self-interest.
Skillful flatterers are often no less skillful slanderers.
The art of leadership is to allow people to grow old in their roles.
A beautiful woman is pleasing to the eye, and a gentle woman to the heart; the former is a wonderful thing, but the latter is a treasure.
He who stands high and stands in the sight of all must not allow himself impetuous movements.
The best orator in the world is success.
Love is for a lazy man an occupation in itself, for a soldier - entertainment, and for an emperor - an unexpected obstacle.
Love of country is the first quality of the civilized man.