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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

What a man wishes, he will believe.
DEMOSTHENES

Believe Himself Man
Clouds cannot cover secret places, nor denials conceal truth.
DEMOSTHENES

Cloud Place Secret Truth
We believe whatever we want to believe.
DEMOSTHENES

Believe Willing
Every dictator is an enemy of freedom, an opponent of law.
DEMOSTHENES

Dictatorship Enemy Freedom Opponent
Success has a great tendency to conceal and throw a veil over the evil deeds of men.
DEMOSTHENES

Action Greatness Man Success Tendency
The man who is in the highest state of prosperity, and who thinks his fortune is most secure, knows not if it will remain unchanged till the evening.
DEMOSTHENES

Change Fortune High Man Prosperity State
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
Great and unexpected successes are often the cause of foolish rushing into acts of extravagance.
DEMOSTHENES

Act Fools Greatness Rush Success
It is not possible to found a lasting power upon injustice, perjury, and treachery.
DEMOSTHENES

Injustice Possible Power
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
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
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
Small opportunities often presage great enterprises.
DEMOSTHENES

Greatness Opportunity Small
To remind a man of the good turns you have done him is very much like a reproach.
DEMOSTHENES

Goodness Reminder Reproach
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

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.

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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.

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Popular Authors

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