What Niccolò Machiavelli thinks about happiness

@niccolo-machiavelli · 25 positions · On ppll ↗

Florentine political philosopher and diplomat (1469 to 1527); Second Chancellor of the Republic of Florence from 1498 to 1512; author of The Prince.

Niccolò Machiavelli did not write this page.

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Only Niccolò Machiavelli on happiness. See everyone on happiness

1 dated position, c. 1514–1519, in their own words. Our reading of what Niccolò Machiavelli has said — not written or endorsed by them.

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1. c. 1514–1519

   Our readingMen's desires always exceed their capacity to satisfy them, so they stay discontented

   Their wordsFor nature has so ordered it that while they desire everything, it is impossible for them to have everything, and thus their desires being always in excess of their capacity to gratify them, they remain constantly dissatisfied and discontented.

   ↗Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius (Ninian Hill Thomson translation, 1883)gutenberg.org All 19 from this book