Machiavelli's passage on unreliable love is more nuanced than its famous opening lines suggest. He writes that when you are in power and doing favors, people will promise you everything — "their blood, property, life, and children" — but those promises won't be fulfilled when crisis comes. **The nuance often missed**: The middle of the passage describes a behavioral pattern, not a cynical worldview. People genuinely believe their promises in times of prosperity. They aren't lying — they believe they'd sacrifice everything for you. But when crisis arrives, they don't follow through. The promises were made in good faith based on the current emotional state, not a durable character foundation. This is fundamentally different from a mother's love for her children (which is self-sacrificial). Machiavelli is describing transactional loyalty — friendships "obtained by payments, and not by greatness or nobility of mind." These cannot be relied upon. **Key distinction**: Promises made in prosperity don't survive adversity unless they're grounded in genuine admiration and proven character, not just emotional warmth.