إنّ ما يجعله محتقَرًا أن يُعرَف بالتقلّب والتفاهة والتخنّث والدناءة والتردّد، وعلى الأمير أن يحذر ذلك كما يحذر الصخرة؛ وأن يُظهر في أفعاله العظمةَ والشجاعةَ والوقارَ والصلابة، وأن يجعل أحكامَه في تعامله الخاص مع رعيته نهائيةً لا تُنقض، ويحافظ على سمعةٍ تجعل أحدًا لا يطمع في خداعه أو الالتفاف عليه.

“It makes him contemptible to be considered fickle, frivolous, effeminate, mean-spirited, irresolute, from all of which a prince should guard himself as from a rock; and he should endeavour to show in his actions greatness, courage, gravity, and fortitude; and in his private dealings with his subjects let him show that his judgments are irrevocable, and maintain himself in such reputation that no one can hope either to deceive him or to get round him.”Niccolo Machiavelli — The Prince (2015)