“We Greeks believe that a man who takes no part in public affairs is not merely lazy, but good for nothing.”

Concessions to adversaries only end in self reproach, and the more strictly they are avoided the greater will be the chance of security.

Three of the gravest failings, want of sense, of courage, or of vigilance.

Amassing of wealth is an opportunity for good deeds, not hubris.

Indeed it is generally the case that men are readier to call rogues clever than simpletons honest, and are ashamed of being the second as they are proud of being the first.

For they had learned that true safety was to be found in long previous training, and not in eloquent exhortations uttered when they were going into action.

Few things are brought to a successful issue by impetuous desire, but most by calm and prudent forethought.

It is men who make a city, not walls or ships.

They whose minds are least sensitive to calamity, and whose hands are most quick to meet it, are the greatest men and the greatest communities.

Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and respect of self, in turn, is the chief element in courage.

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.

Now the only sure basis of an alliance is for each party to be equally afraid of the other.

When tremendous dangers are involved, no one can be blamed for looking to his own interest.

Knowledge without understanding is useless.

Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly the perils of war.

It is a general rule of human nature that people despise those who treat them well, and look up to those who make no concessions.

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.

I believe I experience creativity at every moment of my life.

If the Bible had said that Jonah swallowed the whale, I would believe it.

I believe in life you need to always ask for everything politely and nicely, and then if they say no you do what you wanted to do anyway

Government ought to be all outside and no inside. Everybody knows that corruption thrives in secret places, and avoids public places, and we believe it a fair presumption that secrecy means impropriety.

I think I need a psychiatrist because I do believe I am mentally disturbed in some way.

I do not believe in starving myself.

Only those who believe attempt the seemingly impossible.

If you believe Jesus ever had a good word for war or torture or tax cuts for the rich, or raping the earth, or refusing water to dying migrants, then you might as well believe bunnies lay painted eggs.