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We have two useless gods who never leave our island, but like to dwell in it constantly, Poverty and Helplessness.

Herodotus

All of life is action and passion, and not to be involved in the actions and passions of your time is to risk having not really lived at all.
HERODOTUS

Action Deep Life Passion Philosophy Risk Time
It [Egypt] has more wonders in it than any other country in the world and provides more works that defy description than any otherplace.
HERODOTUS

Country Egypt World
If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it.
HERODOTUS

Fun Himself Men relief Serious
I am bound to tell what I am told, but not in every case to believe it.
HERODOTUS

Believe Bound Cases Myself
Unless a variety of opinions are laid before us, we have no opportunity of selection, but are bound of necessity to adopt the particular view which may have been brought forward.
HERODOTUS

Decision Necessary Opinion Opportunity View
He is the best man who, when making his plans, fears and reflects on everything that can happen to him, but in the moment of action is bold.
HERODOTUS

Action Bold Men Moments Planning
I never yet feared those men who set a place apart in the middle of their cities where they gather to cheat one another and swear oaths which they break.
HERODOTUS

Break Cheating Fear Men Place
Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances.
HERODOTUS

Chance Circumstances Men Philosophy
When life is so burdensome death has become a sought after refuge.
HERODOTUS

Death Life Refuge
These ‘messengers’ will not be hindered from accomplishing at their best speed the distance which they have to go, either by snow, or rain, or heat, or by the darkness of night.
HERODOTUS

Accomplishment Best Distance Night Rain
A woman takes off her claim to respect along with her garments.
HERODOTUS

Naked Respect Women
It is better to be envied than pitied.
HERODOTUS

Better Envy One Liner
History is marked by alternating movements across the imaginary line that separates East from West in Eurasia.
HERODOTUS

History Imagination Movement War
One should always look to the end of everything, how it will finally come out. For the god has shown blessedness to many only to overturn them utterly in the end.
HERODOTUS

Belief Blessing End God Hope Oneself
But I like not these great successes of yours; for I know how jealous are the gods.
HERODOTUS

God Greatness Jealous Success
The Colchians, Ethiopians and Egyptians have thick lips, broad nose, woolly hair and they are burnt of skin.
HERODOTUS

Appearance Hairs Skin
My men have become women, but the women men.
HERODOTUS

Courage Men Women
Envy is so natural to human kind, that it cannot but arise.
HERODOTUS

Character Envy Human Kind Nature
In peace sons bury fathers, but war violates the order of nature, and fathers bury sons.
HERODOTUS

Death Father Peace War
It is clear that not in one thing alone, but in many ways equality and freedom of speech are a good thing.
HERODOTUS

Alone Equality Freedom Goodness Talk
As the old saw says well: every end does not appear together with its beginning. It’s impossible for someone who is human to have all good things together, just as there is no single country able to provide all good things for itself.
HERODOTUS

Country Goodness Human Philosophy Togetherness
Civil strife is as much a greater evil than a concerted war effort as war itself is worse than peace.
HERODOTUS

Effort Evil Philosophy War
All men’s gains are the fruit of venturing.
HERODOTUS

Business Inspirational Men Result
The trials of living and the pangs of disease make even the short span of life too long.
HERODOTUS

Disease Live Long Time Trials
If someone were to put a proposition before men bidding them choose, after examination, the best customs in the world, each nation would certainly select its own
HERODOTUS

Bidding Choice Men Nation World
How much better a thing it is to be envied than to be pitied.
HERODOTUS

Better Envy
The most hateful human misfortune is for a wise man to have no influence.
HERODOTUS

Fortune Hate Human Men Wisdom

We have two useless gods who never leave our island, but like to dwell in it constantly, Poverty and Helplessness.

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We have two useless gods who never leave our island, but like to dwell in it constantly, Poverty and Helplessness.

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Popular Authors

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