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

Thucydides

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Thucydides
Historian
Mind
Cultivate
Greek
Lovers
Loss
Taste
Manliness
Simple
Greeks
Beautiful
Masculinity
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More quotes by Thucydides

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As for democracy, the men of sense among us knew what it was, and I perhaps as well as any, as I have more cause to complain of it but there is nothing new to be said of a patent absurdity-meanwhile we did not think it safe to alter it under the pressure of your hostility.
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The whole earth is the sepulchre of famous men.
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when night came on, the Macedonians and the barbarian crowd suddenly took fright in one of those mysterious panics to which great armies are liable
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For we both alike know that into the discussion of human affairs the question of justice enters only where the pressure of necessity is equal, and that the powerful exact what they can, and the weak grant what they must.
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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
Thucydides
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It is useless to attack men who could not be controlled even if conquered, while failure would leave us in an even worse position.
Thucydides
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Remember that this greatness was won by men with courage, with knowledge of their duty, and with a sense of honor in action.
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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
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I have often before now been convinced that a democracy is incapable of empire.
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The growth of the power of Athens, and the alarm which this inspired in Sparta, made war inevitable.
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He passes through life most securely who has least reason to reproach himself with complaisance toward his enemies.
Thucydides
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Amassing of wealth is an opportunity for good deeds, not hubris
Thucydides
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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.
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In generosity we are equally singular, acquiring our friends by conferring, not by receiving, favours.
Thucydides
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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.
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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
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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.
Thucydides
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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
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In a word I claim that our city as a whole is an education to Greece.
Thucydides
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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