Thucydides Quotes

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.

The strong do what they have to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.

War is an evil thing; but to submit to the dictation of other states is worse.... Freedom, if we hold fast to it, will ultimately restore our losses, but submission will mean permanent loss of all that we value.... To you who call yourselves men of peace, I say: You are not safe unless you have men of action on your side.

The secret of happiness is freedom and the secret of freedom is courage.

The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding go out to meet it.

Knowledge without understanding is useless.

Love of power, operating through greed and through personal ambition, was the cause of all these evils.

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

It is a general rule of human nature that people despise those who treat them well, and look up to those who make no concessions.

When one is deprived of ones liberty, one is right in blaming not so much the man who puts the shackles on as the one who had the power to prevent him, but did not use it.

We must remember that one man is much the same as another, and that he is best who is trained in the severest school.

Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and respect of self, in turn, is the chief element in courage.

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.

Of all manifestations of power, restraint impresses men most.

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

History is Philosophy teaching by example.

Some legislators only wish to vengeance against a particular enemy. Others only look out for themselves. They devote very little time on the consideration of any public issue. They think that no harm will come from their neglect. They act as if it is always the business of somebody else to look after this or that. When this selfish notion is entertained by all, the commonwealth slowly begins to decay.

I am not blaming those who are resolved to rule, only those who show an even greater readiness to submit.

Human nature is the one constant through human history. It is always there.

I dread our own mistakes more than the enemy's intentions.

Athens' biggest worry was the sheer recklessness of its own democratic government. A simple majority of the citizenry, urged on and incensed by clever demagogues, might capriciously send out military forces in unnecessary and exhausting adventures.

Ignorance is bold and knowledge reserved.

Don't confuse meaning with truth.

It is from the greatest dangers that the greatest glory is to be won.

I think the two things most opposed to good counsel are haste and passion; haste usaully goes hand in hand with folly, passion with coarseness and narrowness of mind.