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No man who is not willing to help himself has any right to apply to his friends, or to the gods.

Demosthenes

Small opportunities often presage great enterprises.
DEMOSTHENES

Greatness Opportunity Small
It is not possible to found a lasting power upon injustice, perjury, and treachery.
DEMOSTHENES

Injustice Possible Power
You cannot have a proud and chivalrous spirit if your conduct is mean and paltry; for whatever a man’s actions are, such must be his spirit.
DEMOSTHENES

Action Himself Proud Spirit
Close alliances with despots are never safe for free states.
DEMOSTHENES

Freedom Safety State
Nothing is so easy as to deceive one’s self; for what we wish, that we readily believe; but such expectations are often inconsistent with the real state of things.
DEMOSTHENES

Believe Consistency Easy Expectation State
I decline to buy repentance at the cost of ten thousand drachmas.
DEMOSTHENES

Myself Regret
He who confers a favor should at once forget it, if he is not to show a sordid ungenerous spirit. To remind a man of a kindness conferred and to talk of it, is little different from reproach.
DEMOSTHENES

Different Favor Forget Himself Reminder Talk
We need money, for sure, Athenians, and without money nothing can be done that ought to be done.
DEMOSTHENES

Existence Money Need
Clouds cannot cover secret places, nor denials conceal truth.
DEMOSTHENES

Cloud Place Secret Truth
It is impossible for men engaged in low and groveling pursuits to have noble and generous sentiments. A man’s thought must always follow his employment.
DEMOSTHENES

Employment Engagement Follow Impossible Man Thinking
We believe whatever we want to believe.
DEMOSTHENES

Believe Willing
Excessive dealings with tyrants are not good for the security of free states.
DEMOSTHENES

Deal Freedom Goodness State
Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.
DEMOSTHENES

Beginning Enterprise Opportunity Small
The sower of the seed is assuredly the author of the whole harvest of mischief.
DEMOSTHENES

Author Harvest Mischief Sow Story
Good fortune is the greatest of blessings, but good counsel comes next, and the lack of it destroys the other also.
DEMOSTHENES

Blessing Destroy Fortune Goodness
Great and unexpected successes are often the cause of foolish rushing into acts of extravagance.
DEMOSTHENES

Act Fools Greatness Rush Success

No man who is not willing to help himself has any right to apply to his friends, or to the gods.

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No man who is not willing to help himself has any right to apply to his friends, or to the gods.

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