Thucydides Quotes

Quotes about:

• 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.

  Thucydides

  People, Stories, Firsts

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

  Thucydides

  Strength, Peace, Strong

  N.K. Rutter, Thucydides (1996). “History of the Peloponnesian War: A Companion”, Bristol Classical Press

  141 Copy quote

• 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.

  Thucydides

  War, Mean, Loss

  101 Copy quote

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

  Thucydides

  Secret

  "History of the Peloponnesian War" by Thucydides, book II, 2.43,

  52 Copy quote
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  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.

  Thucydides

  Inspirational, Life, Positive

  Thucydides, Sir Richard Winn Livingstone (1960). “The History of the Peloponnesian War”, Oxford University Press, USA

  145 Copy quote

• Knowledge without understanding is useless.

  Thucydides

  Understanding, Useless

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

  Thucydides

  Peace, War, Ambition

  Thucydides (1974). “History of the Peloponnesian War”, p.279, Penguin UK

  61 Copy quote

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

  Thucydides

  Commodity, Be Prepared, Prepared

  59 Copy quote

• 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.

  Thucydides

  People, Looks, Politics

  Thucydides (1970). “Athens at war”, Putnam Aeronautical Books

  16 Copy quote

• 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.

  Thucydides

  Men, Liberty, Use

  27 Copy quote

• Of all manifestations of power, restraint impresses men most.

  Thucydides

  Patience, Men, Politics

  Thucydides (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Thucydides (Illustrated)”, p.2245, Delphi Classics

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

  Thucydides

  Military, School, Men

  Thucydides (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Thucydides (Illustrated)”, p.61, Delphi Classics

  91 Copy quote

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

  Thucydides

  Self Esteem, Self Respect, Self Control

  "History of the Peloponnesian War".

  87 Copy quote

• 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.

  Thucydides

  Science, Men, Logic

  45 Copy quote

• History is Philosophy teaching by example.

  Thucydides

  Teacher, Art, Philosophy

  Thucydides, Richard Shilleto (1872). “Thucydidis I-II: With collation of the two Cambridge mss. and the Aldine and Juntine editions. By Richard Shilleto”, p.28

  32 Copy quote

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

  Thucydides

  Human Nature, Constant, Humans

  49 Copy quote

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

  Thucydides

  Peace, War, Blame

  Thucydides (1974). “History of the Peloponnesian War”, p.345, Penguin UK

  16 Copy quote

• 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.

  Thucydides

  Selfish, Thinking, Issues

  89 Copy quote

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

  Thucydides

  Danger, Interest, Involved

  36 Copy quote

• 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.

  Thucydides

  Strong, Suffering, World

  Thucydides, Victor Davis Hanson, Robert B. Strassler (2008). “The Landmark Thucydides”, p.352, Simon and Schuster

  12 Copy quote

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

  Thucydides

  Mistake, Enemy, Intention

  11 Copy quote

• 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.

  Thucydides

  Clever, Military, Adventure

  Thucydides, Victor Davis Hanson, Robert B. Strassler (2008). “The Landmark Thucydides”, p.19, Simon and Schuster

  52 Copy quote

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

  Thucydides

  Sorry, Lifestyle, Modern

  19 Copy quote

• Stories happen to those who tell them.

  Thucydides

  Stories, Happens

  7 Copy quote

• Ignorance is bold and knowledge reserved.

  Thucydides

  Ignorance, Religion, Atheism

  41 Copy quote

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