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The poorest of men are the most useful to those seeking power.

Sallust

Sovereignty is easily preserved by the very arts by which it was originally created. When, however, energy has given place to indifference, and temperance and justice to passion and arrogance, then as the morals change so changes fortune.
SALLUST

Arrogance Art Change Creation Easy Fortune Justice Original Place Preserve
The glory of wealth and of beauty is fleeting and frail; virtue is illustrious and everlasting.
SALLUST

Beautiful Glory Illustration Virtue Wealth
But at power or wealth, for the sake of which wars, and all kinds of strife, arise among mankind, we do not aim; we desire only our liberty, which no honorable man relinquishes but with his life.
SALLUST

Desire Himself Kind Liberty Life Man Power War Wealth
We employ the mind to rule, the body to serve.
SALLUST

Body Employment Mindset Rule Serve
In my opinion, he only may be truly said to live and enjoy his being who is engaged in some laudable pursuit, and acquires a name by some illustrious action, or useful art.
SALLUST

Action Enjoyment Illustration Live Myself Name Opinion Pursuit True
Poor Britons, there is some good in them after all – they produced an oyster.
SALLUST

Goodness Pearl Production
In my own case, who have spent my whole life in the practice of virtue, right conduct from habitual has become natural.
SALLUST

Character Life Natural Practice Right Virtue
It is impossible that there should be so much providence in the last details, and none in the first principles. Then the arts of prophecy and of healing, which are part of the cosmos, come of the good providence of the Gods.
SALLUST

Cosmos Detail God Healing Impossible Principle
No man underestimates the wrongs he suffers; many take them more seriously than is right.
SALLUST

Himself Man Right Serious Suffering Wrong
No grief reaches the dead.
SALLUST

Death Grief One Liner Reach
Small communities grow great through harmony, great ones fall to pieces through discord.
SALLUST

Community Discord Greatness Harmony Oneself Pieces Small
For men who had easily endured hardship, danger and difficult uncertainty, leisure and riches, though in some ways desirable, proved burdensome and a source of grief.
SALLUST

Dangerous Desire Easy Endurance Men Source Way
For harmony makes small states great, while discord undermines the mightiest empires.
SALLUST

Empire Greatness Harmony Small State
A good man would prefer to be defeated than to defeat injustice by evil means.
SALLUST

Defeat Goodness Justice Man
Distinguished ancestors shed a powerful light on their descendants, and forbid the concealment either of their merits or of their demerits.
SALLUST

Advice Ancestor Help Light Powerful
A good man prefers to suffer rather than overcome injustice with evil.
SALLUST

Evil Goodness Justice Man Preference

The poorest of men are the most useful to those seeking power.

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The poorest of men are the most useful to those seeking power.

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