Demosthenes Quotes - Page 2

The fact speak for themselves.

No man who is not willing to help himself has any right to apply to his friends, or to the gods.

Great and unexpected successes are often the cause of foolish rushing into acts of extravagance.

Beware lest in your anxiety to avoid war you obtain a master

Excessive dealings with tyrants are not good for the security of free states.

Small opportunities often presage great enterprises.

Whatever shall be to the advantage of all, may that prevail!

There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots - suspicion.

He who confers a favor should at once forget it, if he is not to show a sordid ungenerous spirit. To remind a man of a kindness conferred and to talk of it, is little different from reproach.

Nothing is more easy than to deceive one's self, as our affections are subtle persuaders.

Good fortune is the greatest of blessings, but good counsel comes next, and the lack of it destroys the other also.

The end of wisdom is consultation and deliberation.

What a man wishes, he will believe.

To remind a man of the good turns you have done him is very much like a reproach.

It is the natural disposition of all men to listen with pleasure to abuse and slander of their neighbour, and to hear with impatience those who utter praises of themselves.

It is impossible for men engaged in low and groveling pursuits to have noble and generous sentiments. A man's thought must always follow his employment.

We need money, for sure, Athenians, and without money nothing can be done that ought to be done.

I decline to buy repentance at the cost of ten thousand drachmas.

Close alliances with despots are never safe for free states.

The readiest and surest way to get rid of censure, is to correct ourselves.

What we wish, that we readily believe.

There is a great deal of wishful thinking in such cases it is the easiest thing of all to deceive ones self.

We believe whatever we want to believe.

The more able a man is, if he make ill use of his abilities, the more dangerous will he be to the commonwealth.

Every advantage in the past is judged in the light of the final issue.