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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

Hope is an expensive commodity. It makes better sense to be prepared.
THUCYDIDES

Better Expensive Hope Item Preparation Sense
They are surely to be esteemed the bravest spirits who, having the clearest sense of both the pains and pleasures of life, do not on that account shrink from danger.
THUCYDIDES

Brave Dangerous Happiness Pain Spirit
We secure our friends not by accepting favours but by doing them.
THUCYDIDES

Acceptance Action Friendship Security
Knowledge without understanding is useless.
THUCYDIDES

Knowledge Understand Wasted
Speculation is carried on in safety, but, when it comes to action, fear causes failure.
THUCYDIDES

Action Carry Failure Fear Safety
Men do not rest content with parrying the attacks of a superior, but often strike the first blow to prevent the attack being made.
THUCYDIDES

Attack Man Prevent Rest Superior
What made the war inevitable was the growth of Athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta.
THUCYDIDES

Fear Growth Reason War
Don’t confuse meaning with truth.
THUCYDIDES

Confusion Meaning One Liner Truth
Few things are brought to a successful issue by impetuous desire, but most by calm and prudent forethought.
THUCYDIDES

Desire Issues Success Thinking
Now the only sure basis of an alliance is for each party to be equally afraid of the other.
THUCYDIDES

Afraid Basis Equality Fear Party
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
For so remarkably perverse is the nature of man that he despises whoever courts him, and admires whoever will not bend before him.
THUCYDIDES

Admire Court Himself Man Nature Remark
Still hope leads men to venture; and no one ever yet put himself in peril without the inward conviction that he would succeed in his design.
THUCYDIDES

Design Hope Man Misery Success
And it is certain that those who do not yield to their equals, who keep terms with their superiors, and are moderate towards their inferiors, on the whole succeed best.
THUCYDIDES

Behavior Best Equality Success Superior Treat
It is from the greatest dangers that the greatest glory is to be won.
THUCYDIDES

Dangerous Glory Greatness Win
It is frequently a misfortune to have very brilliant men in charge of affairs. They expect too much of ordinary men.
THUCYDIDES

Affair Brilliant Charge Expectation Man Misfortune

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

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

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Popular Authors

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