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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.

Thucydides

I have often before now been convinced that a democracy is incapable of empire.
THUCYDIDES

Capable Democracy Empire
War is a matter not so much of arms as of money.
THUCYDIDES

Arms Money War
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.
THUCYDIDES

Democracy Election Failure Fair Office Quite
History is Philosophy teaching by example.
THUCYDIDES

Example History Teaching
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.
THUCYDIDES

Equality Exit Legal Man Superior Violence
Happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous.
THUCYDIDES

Courage Deep Freedom Happiness
Knowledge without understanding is useless.
THUCYDIDES

Knowledge Understand Wasted
For so remarkably perverse is the nature of man that he despises whoever courts him, and admires whoever will not bend before him.
THUCYDIDES

Admire Court Himself Man Nature Remark
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.
THUCYDIDES

Attention Deserve Enjoyment Human Justice People Praise Situation
You should punish in the same manner those who commit crimes with those who accuse falsely.
THUCYDIDES

Commitment Crime Fake Punishment
Don’t confuse meaning with truth.
THUCYDIDES

Confusion Meaning One Liner Truth
I dread our own mistakes more than the enemy’s intentions.
THUCYDIDES

Enemy Intention Mistake Myself
It is men who make a city, not walls or ships.
THUCYDIDES

Infrastructure Man Wall
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.
THUCYDIDES

Call Honesty Man Proud Shame
Peace is an armistice in a war that is continuously going on.
THUCYDIDES

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

Blame Dangerous Interest

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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It is useless to attack men who could not be controlled even if conquered, while failure would leave us in an even worse position.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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