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Close alliances with despots are never safe for free states.

Demosthenes

As a vessel is known by the sound, whether it be cracked or not; so men are proved, by their speeches, whether they be wise or foolish.
DEMOSTHENES

Crack Fools Known Sound Wisdom
What we wish, that we readily believe.
DEMOSTHENES

Believe Willing
The more able a man is, if he make ill use of his abilities, the more dangerous will he be to the commonwealth.
DEMOSTHENES

Ability Common Dangerous Man
Success has a great tendency to conceal and throw a veil over the evil deeds of men.
DEMOSTHENES

Action Greatness Man Success Tendency
A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true.
DEMOSTHENES

Believe Easy General Man True
There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots – suspicion.
DEMOSTHENES

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

Friendship Himself Man Willing
The sower of the seed is assuredly the author of the whole harvest of mischief.
DEMOSTHENES

Author Harvest Mischief Sow Story
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
To remind a man of the good turns you have done him is very much like a reproach.
DEMOSTHENES

Goodness Reminder Reproach
Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.
DEMOSTHENES

Beginning Enterprise Opportunity Small
I decline to buy repentance at the cost of ten thousand drachmas.
DEMOSTHENES

Myself Regret
It is not possible to found a lasting power upon injustice, perjury, and treachery.
DEMOSTHENES

Injustice Possible Power
Whatever shall be to the advantage of all, may that prevail!
DEMOSTHENES

Advantage Existence Prevail
Beware lest in your anxiety to avoid war you obtain a master
DEMOSTHENES

Anxiety Avoid Beware Master War Yourself
Nothing is so easy as to deceive oneself; for what we wish, we readily believe.
DEMOSTHENES

Believe Deceive Easy One Liner

Close alliances with despots are never safe for free states.

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Close alliances with despots are never safe for free states.

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