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The secret of freedom, courage.

Thucydides

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Thucydides
Historian
Freedom
Courage
Secret

More quotes by Thucydides

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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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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.
Thucydides
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In generosity we are equally singular, acquiring our friends by conferring, not by receiving, favours.
Thucydides
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Hope, danger's comforter
Thucydides
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The whole earth is the sepulchre of famous men.
Thucydides
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They are surely to be esteemed the bravest spirits who, having the clearest sense of both the pains and pleasures of life, do not on that account shrink from danger.
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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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.
Thucydides
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It is from the greatest dangers that the greatest glory is to be won.
Thucydides
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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
Thucydides
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The growth of the power of Athens, and the alarm which this inspired in Sparta, made war inevitable.
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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So little trouble do men take in the search after truth so readily do they accept whatever comes first to hand.
Thucydides
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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.
Thucydides
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For men naturally despise those who court them, but respect those who do not give way to them.
Thucydides
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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.
Thucydides
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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
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We must not disguise from ourselves that we go to found a city among strangers and enemies, and he who undertakes such an enterprise should be prepared to become master of the country the first day he lands, or failing in this find everything hostile to him.
Thucydides
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Those who have experienced good and bad luck many times have every reason to be skeptical of successes
Thucydides
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...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.
Thucydides