Quotes by
Thucydides |
The greatest of ancient Greek historians and author of the History of the Peloponnesian War, which recounts the struggle between Athens and Sparta in the 5th century BC. Thucydides has been dubbed the father of scientific history because of his strict standards of evidence-gathering and analysis of cause and effect without reference to intervention by the gods.He has also been called the father of the school of political realism.
| 25 quotes | 6,605 visits |
Quotations
| • | In a democracy, someone who fails to get elected to office can always console himself with the thought that there was something not quite fair about it. 16 |
| • | The secret of happiness is freedom and the secret of freedom is courage. 15 |
| • | Men naturally despise those who court them, but respect those who do not give way to them. 13 |
| • | Justice is an issue only between equals, otherwise those in power do what they can and the weak forgive. 11 |
| • | 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 9 |
| • | It is frequently a misfortune to have very brilliant men in charge of affairs. They expect too much of ordinary men. 6 |
| • | Τhose who do not yield to their equals, who keep terms with their superiors, and are moderate towards their inferiors, on the whole succeed best. Ως οίτινες τοις μεν ίσοις μη είκουσι, τοις δε κρείσσοσι καλώς προσφέρονται, προς δε τους ήσσους μέτριοί εισι, πλείστ’ αν ορθοίντο. 4 |
| • | Now the only sure basis of an alliance is for each party to be equally afraid of the other. 2 |
Ancient Greek
| • | Although we bless your ignorance of evil, we do not envy your stupidity. Μακαρίσαντες υμών το απειρόκακον ου ζηλούμεν το άφρον. 14 |
| • | Ignorance is bold, knowledge is reserved. Αμαθία μεν θράσος, λογισμός δε όκνον φέρει. 13 |
| • | Fortune favors the bold Τοις τολμώσιν η τύχη ξύμφορος. 13 |
| • | Great men have the whole earth for their tomb. Ανδρών επιφανών πάσα η γη τάφος. (in Pericles' Funeral Oration) 8 |
| • | War is a violent teacher. Ο δε πόλεμος... βίαιος διδάσκαλος. 8 |
| • | The happy are the free, and the free are the brave. Το εύδαιμον το ελεύθερον, το δ’ ελεύθερον το εύψυχον. 5 |
| • | War is a matter not so much of arms as of expenditure. Έστιν ο πόλεμος ουχ όπλων το πλέον, αλλά δαπάνης. 4 |
| • | I don’t blame those who want to rule but those who are more ready to obey. Ου τοις άρχειν βουλομένοις μέμφομαι, αλλά τοις υπακούειν ετοιμοτέροις ούσιν. 3 |
| • | True happiness is found in freedom, and true freedom in bravery. Το εύδαιμον το ελεύθερον, το δ’ ελεύθερον το εύψυχον. 3 |
| • | The rule of the sea is a great matter. Μέγα το της θαλάσσης κράτος. (Pericles’ oration) 3 |
| • | We love beauty with simplicity and we philosophize without softness. Φιλοκαλούμεν γαρ μετ’ ευτελείας και φιλοσοφούμεν άνευ μαλακίας. (in Pericles' Funeral Oration) 3 |
| • | Two things prevent making the right decision: haste and anger. Δύο τα εναντιώτατα ευβουλία είναι, τάχος τε και οργήν. 3 |
| • | Prudence is the coward's pretext. Το δε σώφρον του ανάνδρου πρόσχημα. 3 |
| • | It is a much greater shame to lose something than to fail to get it. Αίσχιον δε έχοντας αφαιρεθήναι ή κτωμένους ατυχήσαι. 3 |
| • | The strength of the city is the men, not the walls or the empty ships. Άνδρες πόλις και ου τείχη, ουδέ νήες ανδρών κεναί. 3 |
| • | Hesitation is a key element of temperance. Αιδώς σωφροσύνης πλείστον μετέχει. 3 |
| • | Ignorance with temperance is more beneficial than skill with immorality. Αμαθία τε μετά σωφροσύνης ωφελιμώτερον ή δεξιότης μετά ακολασίας. |
