Catherine de Medici

"The true measure of a life is not its length but its depth."

"To command respect, one must first command oneself."

"Every coronation is built upon a foundation of forgotten sorrows."

"I do not believe in luck; I believe in preparation meeting opportunity."

"The greatest game is played in silence, with invisible moves."

"A queen's crown is heavy because it is meant to be."

"Love is the most exquisite form of madness."

"The intellect must govern the heart, always and without exception."

"I have learned that solitude is the best teacher of truth."

"A lie told well enough becomes a truth in the minds of men."

"The greatest victory is making your enemy believe he has won."

"One must plant seeds of influence in the spring to reap in winter."

"Beauty is power, but only if you know how to wield it."

"I trust in God, but verify everything else."

"The heart of politics is not love but necessity."

"Every decision shapes not just today but generations to come."

"A woman's greatest strength is her ability to adapt without losing herself."

"The darkness teaches what the daylight never can."

"To understand power, one must understand the absence of power."

"I have lived long enough to know that certainty is always a lie."

"A court without intrigue is a garden without seasons."

"The most dangerous knowledge is knowing what others do not know."

"Perseverance is the art of failing with dignity."

"I prefer to command through love than through fear, but I prefer fear to nothing at all."

"The past whispers; the future shouts; the present screams."

"Every alliance is built on the firm foundation of mutual suspicion."

"A queen's duty is not to be happy but to be remembered."

"The mind that doubts itself has already found wisdom."

"I have learned that the best investment is in those who would betray you."

"Life is a performance; play your role well, and the world becomes your stage."