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Wars spring from unseen and generally insignificant causes, the first outbreak being often but an explosion of anger.

Thucydides

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.
THUCYDIDES

Beginning Disaster Discussion Mistake War
Speculation is carried on in safety, but, when it comes to action, fear causes failure.
THUCYDIDES

Action Carry Failure Fear Safety
I dread our own mistakes more than the enemy’s intentions.
THUCYDIDES

Enemy Intention Mistake Myself
Amassing of wealth is an opportunity for good deeds, not hubris.
THUCYDIDES

Action Goodness Opportunity Wealth
The strength of an Army lies in strict discipline and undeviating obedience to its officers.
THUCYDIDES

Discipline Lying Obedience Strength Strict
I think the two things most opposed to good counsel are haste and passion; haste usaully goes hand in hand with folly, passion with coarseness and narrowness of mind.
THUCYDIDES

Goodness Hands Mindset Passion Thinking
Mankind apparently find it easier to drive away adversity than to retain prosperity.
THUCYDIDES

Drive Easy Finding Kind Man Prosperity
Hope, danger’s comforter.
THUCYDIDES

Comfortable Dangerous Hope
Love of power, operating through greed and through personal ambition, was the cause of all these evils.
THUCYDIDES

Ambition Evil Love Operation Personal Power Reason
The Thracian people, like the bloodiest of the barbarians, being ever most murderous when it has nothing to fear.
THUCYDIDES

Blood Fear Murder Nature People
An avowal of poverty is no disgrace to any man; to make no effort to escape it is indeed disgraceful.
THUCYDIDES

Effort Escape Grace Man Poverty
Happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous.
THUCYDIDES

Courage Deep Freedom Happiness
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.
THUCYDIDES

Fact Finding Hear People Story Trouble Truth
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
They are surely to be esteemed the bravest spirits who, having the clearest sense of both the pains and pleasures of life, do not on that account shrink from danger.
THUCYDIDES

Brave Dangerous Happiness Pain Spirit
It is men who make a city, not walls or ships.
THUCYDIDES

Infrastructure Man Wall

Wars spring from unseen and generally insignificant causes, the first outbreak being often but an explosion of anger.

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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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Popular Authors

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