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When tremendous dangers are involved, no one can be blamed for looking to his own interest.

Thucydides

Most people, in fact, will not take the trouble in finding out the truth, but are much more inclined to accept the first story they hear.
THUCYDIDES

Fact Finding Hear People Story Trouble Truth
Love of power, operating through greed and through personal ambition, was the cause of all these evils.
THUCYDIDES

Ambition Evil Love Operation Personal Power Reason
The secret of freedom, courage.
THUCYDIDES

Courage Freedom One Liner Secret
Concessions to adversaries only end in self reproach, and the more strictly they are avoided the greater will be the chance of security.
THUCYDIDES

Adversity Avoid Chance End Greatness Security Strict
The sufferings that fate inflicts on us should be borne with patience, what enemies inflict with manly courage.
THUCYDIDES

Born Courage Fate Man Patience Suffering
Human nature is the one constant through human history. It is always there.
THUCYDIDES

Existence History Human Nature
We Greeks believe that a man who takes no part in public affairs is not merely lazy, but good for nothing.
THUCYDIDES

Believe Goodness Man Public
When a man finds a conclusion agreeable, he accepts it without argument, but when he finds it disagreeable, he will bring against it all the forces of logic and reason.
THUCYDIDES

Agreement Finding Force Logic Man Reason
Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and respect of self, in turn, is the chief element in courage.
THUCYDIDES

Chief Control Courage Element Respect
It is useless to attack men who could not be controlled even if conquered, while failure would leave us in an even worse position.
THUCYDIDES

Attack Conquer Control Failure Man Position Worst
Of the gods we believe, and of men we know, that by a necessary law of their nature they rule wherever they can.
THUCYDIDES

Believe God Law Man Nature Necessary Rule
It is a common mistake in going to war to begin at the wrong end, to act first, and wait for disasters to discuss the matter.
THUCYDIDES

Beginning Disaster Discussion Mistake War
The growth of the power of Athens, and the alarm which this inspired in Sparta, made war inevitable.
THUCYDIDES

Alarm Growth Power War
Those who have experienced good and bad luck many times have every reason to be skeptical of successes.
THUCYDIDES

Experience Reason Success Time
The strong do what they have to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.
THUCYDIDES

Acceptance Strong Weakness
Three of the gravest failings, want of sense, of courage, or of vigilance.
THUCYDIDES

Courage Failure Need Sense

When tremendous dangers are involved, no one can be blamed for looking to his own interest.

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When tremendous dangers are involved, no one can be blamed for looking to his own interest.

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