Thucydides Quotations

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

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

Wars spring from unseen and generally insignificant causes, the first outbreak being often but an explosion of anger.

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

Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly the perils of war.

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

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

Men's indignation, it seems, is more excited by legal wrong than by violent wrong; the first looks like being cheated by an equal, the second like being compelled by a superior.

Few things are brought to a successful issue by impetuous desire, but most by calm and prudent forethought.

Justice will not come to Athens until those who are not injured are as indignant as those who are injured.

Men naturally despise those who court them, but respect those who do not give way to them.

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

As contraries are known by contraries, so is the delight of presence best known by the torments of absence.

Three of the greatest failings, want of sense, of courage, or of vigilance.

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.

And where the rewards for merit are greatest, there are found the best citizens.

In peace and prosperity states and individuals have better sentiments, because they do not find themselves suddenly confronted with imperious necessities; but war takes away the easy supply of daily wants and so proves a rough master that brings most men's characters to a level with their fortunes

Men's indignation, it seems, is more exited by legal wrong than by violent wrong; the first looks like being cheated by an equal, the second like being compelled by a superior.

Stories happen to those who tell them.

Peace is an armistice in a war that is continuously going on.

I have often before now been convinced that a democracy is incapable of empire...

Mankind apparently find it easier to drive away adversity than to retain prosperity.

The wide difference between the two characters, the slowness and want of energy of the Spartans as contrasted with the dash and enterprise of their opponents, proved of the greatest service, especially to a maritime empire like Athens. Indeed this was shown by the Syracusans, who were most like the Athenians in character, and also most successful in combating them.

So little trouble do men take in the search after truth; so readily do they accept whatever comes first to hand.

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

Abstinence from all injustice to other first-rate powers is a greater tower of strength than anything that can be gained by the sacrifice of permanent tranquillity for an apparent temporary advantage.

Indeed it is generally the case that men are readier to call rogues clever than simpletons honest, and are ashamed of being the second as they are proud of being the first.

In a word I claim that our city as a whole is an education to Greece.

... Athenians are addicted to innovation. They are daring beyond their judgment they toil on with little opportunity for enjoying, being ever engaged in getting, they were born into the world to take no rest themselves, and to give none to others.

The cause of all these evils was the lust for power arising from greed and ambition; and from these passions proceeded the violence of parties once engaged in contention.

It is men who make a city, not walls or ships.

A collision at sea can ruin your entire day.

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.

In generosity we are equally singular, acquiring our friends by conferring, not by receiving, favours.

For so remarkably perverse is the nature of man that he despises whoever courts him, and admires whoever will not bend before him.

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

...knowing the secret of happiness to be freedom, and the secret of freedom a brave heart, not idly to stand aside from the enemy's onset.

For men can endure to hear others praised only so long as they can severally persuade themselves of their own ability to equal the actions recounted: when this point is passed, envy comes in and with it incredulity.

The meaning of words had no longer the same relation to things... Reckless daring was held to be loyal courage; prudent delay was the excuse of a coward; moderation was the disguise of unmanly weakness; to know everything was to do nothing. Frantic energy was the true quality of man.

For the love of gain would reconcile the weaker to the dominion of the stronger, and the possession of capital enabled the more powerful to reduce the smaller cities to subjection.

we know that there can never be any solid friendship between individuals, or union between communities that is worth the name, unless the parties be persuaded of each others honesty

speculation is carried on in safety, but, when it comes to action, fear causes failure.

On the whole, however, the conclusions I have drawn from the proofs quoted may, I believe, safely be relied on. Assuredly they will not be disturbed either by the lays of a poet displaying the exaggeration of his craft, or by the compositions of the chroniclers that are attractive at truth's expense; the subjects they treat of being out of the reach of evidence, and time having robbed most of them of historical value by enthroning them in the region of legend.

Hatred also is short lived; but that which makes the splendor of the present and the glory of the future remains forever unforgotten here we bless your simplicity but do not envy your folly.

I could have wished that the reputations of many brave men were not to be imperilled in the mouth of a single individual, to stand or fall according as he spoke well or ill. For it is hard to speak properly upon a subject where it is even difficult to convince your hearers that you are speaking the truth.

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.

Knowledge without understanding is useless.

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

People get into the habit of entrusting the things they desire to wishful thinking, and subjecting things they don't desire to exhaustive thinking

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

The superior gratification derived from the use and contemplation of costly and supposedly beautiful products is, commonly, in great measure a gratification of our sense of costliness masquerading under the name of beauty.

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.

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.

The secret of freedom, courage....

What made the war inevitable was the growth of Athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta.

He who graduates the harshest school, succeeds.

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.

They whose minds are least sensitive to calamity, and whose hands are most quick to meet it, are the greatest men and the greatest communities.

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

The whole earth is the sepulchre of famous men.

Those who really deserve praise are the people who, while human enough to enjoy power, nevertheless pay more attention to justice than they are compelled to do by their situation.

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.

In practice we always base our preparations against an enemy on the assumption that his plans are good; indeed, it is right to rest our hopes not on a belief in his blunders, but on the soundness of our provisions. Nor ought we to believe that there is much difference between man and man, but to think that the superiority lies with him who is reared in the severest school.

Right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.

When will there be justice in Athens? There will be justice in Athens when those who are not injured are as outraged as those who are.

To be an object of hatred and aversion to their contemporaries has been the usual fate of all those whose merit has raised them above the common level. The man who submits to the shafts of envy for the sake of noble objects pursues a judicious course for his own lasting fame. Hatred dies with its object, while merit soon breaks forth in full splendor, and his glory is handed down to posterity in never-dying strains.

The strength of an Army lies in strict discipline and undeviating obedience to its officers.

For men naturally despise those who court them, but respect those who do not give way to them.

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.

One's sense of honor is the only thing that does not grow old, and the last pleasure, when one is worn out with age, is not, as the poet said, making money, but having the respect of one's fellow men.

For if many ill-conceived plans have succeeded through the still greater lack of judgment of an opponent, many more, apparently well laid, have on the contrary ended in disgrace. The confidence with which we form our schemes is never completely justified in their execution; speculation is carried on in safety, but, when it comes to action, fear causes failure.

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.

He passes through life most securely who has least reason to reproach himself with complaisance toward his enemies.

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

Of all manifestations of power, restraint impresses men most.

You can now, if you choose, employ your present success to advantage, so as to keep what you have got and gain honour and reputation besides, and you can avoid the mistake of those who meet with an extraordinary piece of good fortune, and are led on by hope to grasp continually at something further, through having already succeeded without expecting it.

The sufferings that fate inflicts on us should be borne with patience, what enemies inflict with manly courage.

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

Boasting and bravado may exist in the breast even of the coward, if he is successful through a mere lucky hit; but a just contempt of an enemy can alone arise in those who feel that they are superior to their opponent by the prudence of their measures.

Mankind are tolerant of the praises of others as long as each hearer thinks that he can do as well or nearly as well himself, but, when the speaker rises above him, jealousy is aroused and he begins to be incredulous.

Hope, danger's comforter

Now the only sure basis of an alliance is for each party to be equally afraid of the other

But the prize for courage will surely be awarded most justly to those who best know the difference between hardship and pleasure and yet are never tempted to shrink from danger.

Again, in our enterprises we present the singular spectacle of daring and deliberation, each carried to its highest point, and both united in the same persons; although usually decision is the fruit of ignorance, hesitation of reflection. But the palm of courage will surely be adjudged most justly to those, who best know the difference between hardship and pleasure and yet are never tempted to shrink from danger. In generosity we are equally singular, acquiring our friends by conferring, not by receiving, favours.

It must be thoroughly understood that war is a necessity, and that the more readily we accept it,the less will be the ardor of our opponents, and that out of the greatest dangers communities and individuals acquire the greatest glory.

There is, however, no advantage in reflections on the past further than may be of service to the present. For the future we must provide by maintaining what the present gives us and redoubling our efforts; it is hereditary to us to win virtue as the fruit of labour, and you must not change the habit, even though you should have a slight advantage in wealth and resources; for it is not right that what was won in want should be lost in plenty.

concessions to adversaries only end in self reproach, and the more strictly they are avoided the greater will be the chance of security.

The growth of the power of Athens, and the alarm which this inspired in Sparta, made war inevitable.

Full of hopes beyond their power though not beyond their ambition.

Wealth to us is not mere material for vainglory but an opportunity for achievement; and poverty we think it no disgrace to acknowledge but a real degredation to make no effort to overcome.

Of the gods we believe, and of men we know, that by a necessary law of their nature they rule wherever they can.

Contempt for an assailant is best shown by bravery in action.

You shouldn't feel sorry for the lifestyle you haven't tasted, but for the one you are about to lose

In general, the men of lower intelligence won out. Afraid of their own shortcomings and of the intelligence of their opponents, so that they would not lose out in reasoned argument or be taken by surprise by their quick-witted opponents, they boldly moved into action. Their enemies,on the contrary, contemptuous and confident in their ability to anticipate, thought there was no need to take by action what they could win by their brains.

War is a matter not so much of arms as of money.

There is no need to suppose that human beings differ very much one from another; but it is true that the ones who come out on top are the ones who have been trained in the hardest school.

Indeed men too often take upon themselves in the prosecution of their revenge to set the example of doing away with those general laws to which all can look for salvation in adversity, instead of allowing them to subsist against the day of danger when their aid may be required

It is the habit of mankind to entrust to careless hope what they long for, and to use sovereign reason to thrust aside what they do not desire

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.