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Sovereignty is easily preserved by the very arts by which it was originally created. When, however, energy has given place to indifference, and temperance and justice to passion and arrogance, then as the morals change so changes fortune.

Sallust

Neither the army nor the treasury, but friends, are the true supports of the throne; for friends cannot be collected by force of arms, nor purchased with money; they are the offspring of kindness and sincerity.
SALLUST

Army Collection Force Kindness Kingdom Money Sincere Support Treasure True
It is always easy enough to take up arms, but very difficult to lay them down; the commencement and the termination of war are not necessarily in the same hands; even a coward may begin, but the end comes only when the victors are willing.
SALLUST

Coward Difficult Easy Enough Hands Necessary War Willing
There were few who preferred honor to money.
SALLUST

Honor Money Preference
In victory even the cowardly like to boast, while in adverse times even the brave are discredited.
SALLUST

Brave Coward Credit Time Victory
For harmony makes small states great, while discord undermines the mightiest empires.
SALLUST

Empire Greatness Harmony Small State
Among intellectual pursuits, one of the most useful is the recording of past events.
SALLUST

Event Intellectual Past Pursuit
Enough words, little wisdom.
SALLUST

Enough Wisdom Word
Everything destroyed is either resolved into the elements from which it came, or else vanishes into not-being. If things are resolved into the elements from which they came, then there will be others: else how did they come into being at all?
SALLUST

Destroy Element Existence
Poor Britons, there is some good in them after all – they produced an oyster.
SALLUST

Goodness Pearl Production
By union the smallest states thrive. By discord the greatest are destroyed.
SALLUST

Destroy Greatness Small State Thrive
Of the cosmic Gods some make the world be, others animate it, others harmonize it, consisting as it does of different elements; the fourth class keep it when harmonized.
SALLUST

Animate Consist Cosmos God Harmony
To have the same desires and the same aversion is assuredly a firm bond of friendship.
SALLUST

Bond Desire Friendship
Not by vows nor by womanish prayers is the help of the gods obtained; success comes through vigilance, energy, wise counsel.
SALLUST

Counsel Energy God Help Prayer Promise Success Vow Wisdom
To desire the same things and to reject the same things, constitutes true friendship.
SALLUST

Desire Friendship Reject
The renown which riches or beauty confer is fleeting and frail mental excellence is a splendid and lasting possession.
SALLUST

Beautiful Excellence Mental Possession Rich
It is a law of human nature that in victory even the coward may boast of his prowess, while defeat injures the reputation even of the brave.
SALLUST

Brave Defeat Himself Human Law Nature Reputation Victory

Sovereignty is easily preserved by the very arts by which it was originally created. When, however, energy has given place to indifference, and temperance and justice to passion and arrogance, then as the morals change so changes fortune.

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Sovereignty is easily preserved by the very arts by which it was originally created. When, however, energy has given place to indifference, and temperance and justice to passion and arrogance, then as the morals change so changes fortune.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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