“Those who really deserve praise are the people who, while human enough to enjoy power, nevertheless pay more attention to justice than they are compelled to do by their situation.”

War is a matter not so much of arms as of money.

The growth of the power of Athens, and the alarm which this inspired in Sparta, made war inevitable.

An avowal of poverty is no disgrace to any man; to make no effort to escape it is indeed disgraceful.

The whole earth is the sepulchre of famous men.

The Thracian people, like the bloodiest of the barbarians, being ever most murderous when it has nothing to fear.

We know that there can never be any solid friendship between individuals, or union between communities that is worth the name, unless the parties be persuaded of each others honesty

Men do not rest content with parrying the attacks of a superior, but often strike the first blow to prevent the attack being made.

But the prize for courage will surely be awarded most justly to those who best know the difference between hardship and pleasure and yet are never tempted to shrink from danger.

The secret of freedom, courage.

Of all manifestations of power, restraint impresses men most.

It is a common mistake in going to war to begin at the wrong end, to act first, and wait for disasters to discuss the matter.

Those who have experienced good and bad luck many times have every reason to be skeptical of successes.

So little trouble do men take in the search after truth; so readily do they accept whatever comes first to hand.

Stories happen to those who tell them.

In a democracy, someone who fails to get elected to office can always console himself with the thought that there was something not quite fair about it.

When a man finds a conclusion agreeable, he accepts it without argument, but when he finds it disagreeable, he will bring against it all the forces of logic and reason.

The more completely we focus our attention on our Creator and Lord, the less chance there is of our being distracted by creatures.

Attention to the human body brings healing and regeneration. Through awareness of the body we remember who we really are.

The only time that any of us have to grow or change or feel or learn anything is in the present moment. But we’re continually missing our present moments, almost willfully, by not paying attention.

Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.

You could think of mindfulness as wise and affectionate attention.

Prayer consists simply in giving to God all the careful attention of which the soul is capable.

Those who are unhappy have no need for anything in this world but people capable of giving them their attention.

I encourage everyone to know that God has a plan for their life and that God never makes a mistake even though it seems like He is not listening or paying attention sometimes.