Thucydides

The peoples of the Mediterranean began to emerge from barbarism when they learned to cultivate the olive and the vine.

We Greeks are lovers of the beautiful, yet simple in our tastes, and we cultivate the mind without loss of manliness.

If it had not been for the pernicious power of envy, men would not so have exalted vengeance above innocence and profit above justice... in these acts of revenge on others, men take it upon themselves to begin the process of repealing those general laws of humanity which are there to give a hope of salvation to all who are in distress.

Thucydides, an Athenian, wrote the history of the war between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians, he began at the moment that it broke out, believing that it would be a great war, and more memorable than any that had preceded it.

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.

Remember that this greatness was won by men with courage, with knowledge of their duty, and with a sense of honor in action.

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.

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.

We Greeks believe that a man who takes no part in public affairs is not merely lazy, but good for nothing

Amassing of wealth is an opportunity for good deeds, not hubris

An avowal of poverty is no disgrace to any man; to make no effort to escape it is indeed disgraceful.

We secure our friends not by accepting favors but by doing them.

The secret to happiness is freedom... And the secret to freedom is courage.

Knowledge without understanding is useless.

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

The secret of freedom, courage.

For they had learned that true safety was to be found in long previous training, and not in eloquent exhortations uttered when they were going into action.

Those who have experienced good and bad luck many times have every reason to be skeptical of successes

I have written my work, not as an essay which is to win the applause of the moment, but as a possession for all time

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.

If you give way, you will instantly have to meet some greater demand, as having been frightened into obedience in the first instance; while a firm refusal will make them clearly understand that they must treat you more as equals.