And it is certain that those who do not yield to their equals, who keep terms with their superiors, and are moderate towards their inferiors, on the whole succeed best.
THUCYDIDESknowing the secret of happiness to be freedom, and the secret of freedom a brave heart, not idly to stand aside from the enemy’s onset.
More Thucydides Quotes
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Speculation is carried on in safety, but, when it comes to action, fear causes failure.
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You should punish in the same manner those who commit crimes with those who accuse falsely.
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The cause of all these evils was the lust for power arising from greed and ambition; and from these passions proceeded the violence of parties once engaged in contention.
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Hope, danger’s comforter.
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Mankind apparently find it easier to drive away adversity than to retain prosperity.
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Few things are brought to a successful issue by impetuous desire, but most by calm and prudent forethought.
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We Greeks believe that a man who takes no part in public affairs is not merely lazy, but good for nothing.
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The strong do what they have to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.
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The sufferings that fate inflicts on us should be borne with patience, what enemies inflict with manly courage.
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Ignorance is bold and knowledge reserved.
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Right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.
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We must remember that one man is much the same as another, and that he is best who is trained in the severest school.
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Men’s indignation, it seems, is more exited by legal wrong than by violent wrong; the first looks like being cheated by an equal, the second like being compelled by a superior.
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Peace is an armistice in a war that is continuously going on.
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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.
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For men naturally despise those who court them, but respect those who do not give way to them.
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Most people, in fact, will not take the trouble in finding out the truth, but are much more inclined to accept the first story they hear.
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It is useless to attack men who could not be controlled even if conquered, while failure would leave us in an even worse position.
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Remember that this greatness was won by men with courage, with knowledge of their duty, and with a sense of honor in action.
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An avowal of poverty is no disgrace to any man; to make no effort to escape it is indeed disgraceful.
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So little trouble do men take in the search after truth; so readily do they accept whatever comes first to hand.
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Amassing of wealth is an opportunity for good deeds, not hubris.
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Wars spring from unseen and generally insignificant causes, the first outbreak being often but an explosion of anger.
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The growth of the power of Athens, and the alarm which this inspired in Sparta, made war inevitable.
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I have often before now been convinced that a democracy is incapable of empire.
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The secret of freedom, courage.
THUCYDIDES