Kings and princes have much more power when they undertake some enterprise on the advice of their subjects. They are then more feared by their enemies.
Original text (French)
Original text (French)
All Philippe de Commines quotes →
A man must serve his time to every trade
Save censure — critics are ready-made.
The physician can bury his mistakes, but the architect can only advise his clients to plant vines.
Parodies and caricatures are the most penetrating of criticisms.
Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Philippe de Commines (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.