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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

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

Injustice Possible Power
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
Beware lest in your anxiety to avoid war you obtain a master
DEMOSTHENES

Anxiety Avoid Beware Master War Yourself
Excessive dealings with tyrants are not good for the security of free states.
DEMOSTHENES

Deal Freedom Goodness State
The best protection for the people is not necessarily to believe everything people tell them.
DEMOSTHENES

Necessary People Protection Talk
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
To remind a man of the good turns you have done him is very much like a reproach.
DEMOSTHENES

Goodness Reminder Reproach
All speech is vain and empty unless it be accompanied by action.
DEMOSTHENES

Accompany Action Empty Speech
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
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
We believe whatever we want to believe.
DEMOSTHENES

Believe Willing
It is the natural disposition of all men to listen with pleasure to abuse and slander of their neighbour, and to hear with impatience those who utter praises of themselves.
DEMOSTHENES

Abuse Impatience Listening Man Natural Pleasure Praise
Nothing is easier than self-deceit.
DEMOSTHENES

Deceive Easy One Liner
The man who flies shall fight again.
DEMOSTHENES

Fight File Man
The fact speak for themselves.
DEMOSTHENES

Fact Ourselves Talk
Do you remember that in classical times when Cicero had finished speaking, the people said, “How well he spoke” but when Demosthenes had finished speaking, they said, “Let us march.
DEMOSTHENES

Ourselves People Talk Time
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 a great deal of wishful thinking in such cases it is the easiest thing of all to deceive ones self.
DEMOSTHENES

Deal Greatness Oneself Thinking
Every advantage in the past is judged in the light of the final issue.
DEMOSTHENES

Issues Judgement Light Past
I decline to buy repentance at the cost of ten thousand drachmas.
DEMOSTHENES

Myself Regret
What a man wishes, he will believe.
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Believe Himself Man
Clouds cannot cover secret places, nor denials conceal truth.
DEMOSTHENES

Cloud Place Secret Truth
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
The sower of the seed is assuredly the author of the whole harvest of mischief.
DEMOSTHENES

Author Harvest Mischief Sow Story
By persistent labor man may attain to all excellence.
DEMOSTHENES

Excellence Hard Work Persistence
One believes in what one wants to believe in.
DEMOSTHENES

Believe Oneself
What we wish, that we readily believe.
DEMOSTHENES

Believe Willing

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.

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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.

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Popular Authors

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