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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

Many exceedingly rich men are unhappy, but many middling circumstances are fortunate.
HERODOTUS

Fortunate Happiness Men Rich
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
In peace sons bury fathers, but war violates the order of nature, and fathers bury sons.
HERODOTUS

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

God Help Islands Poor
The secret of success is that it is not the absence of failure, but the absence of envy.
HERODOTUS

Absence Envy Failure Secret Success
Whatever comes from God is impossible for a man to turn back.
HERODOTUS

Divine God Impossible Men People
I am bound to tell what I am told, but not in every case to believe it.
HERODOTUS

Believe Bound Cases Myself
But if you know that you are a man too, and that even such are those that rule, learn this first of all: that all human affairs are a wheel which, as it turns, does not allow the same men always to be fortunate.
HERODOTUS

Change Fortunate Human Men Rule
Some give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; while others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before.
HERODOTUS

Design Give Up Goal Happiness Inspirational Moments
There is nothing more foolish, nothing more given to outrage than a useless mob.
HERODOTUS

Foolish Outrage Useless War
Haste in every business brings failures.
HERODOTUS

Business Failure Haste
The man of affluence is not in fact more happy than the possessor of a bare competency, unless, in addition to his wealth, the end of his life be fortunate. We often see misery dwelling in the midst of splendour, whilst real happiness is found in humbler stations.
HERODOTUS

Happiness Humble Life Reality
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
Force has no place where there is need of skill.
HERODOTUS

Force Military Need Skill
Love of honor is a very shady sort of possession.
HERODOTUS

Honor Love Possession Shady
It is sound planning that invariably earns us the outcome we want; without it, even the gods are unlikely to look with favour on our designs.
HERODOTUS

Design Effort Favour Outcomes Result

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

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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

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