Quote

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

Thucydides

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Thucydides
Historian
Courage
Secret
Happiness
Freedom

More quotes by Thucydides

Image
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.
Thucydides
Image
...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
Image
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
Image
For men naturally despise those who court them, but respect those who do not give way to them.
Thucydides
Image
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
Image
War is a matter not so much of arms as of money.
Thucydides
Image
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
Image
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
Image
The secret of freedom, courage.
Thucydides
Image
The growth of the power of Athens, and the alarm which this inspired in Sparta, made war inevitable.
Thucydides
Image
I have often before now been convinced that a democracy is incapable of empire.
Thucydides
Image
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.
Thucydides
Image
Of all manifestations of power, restraint impresses men most.
Thucydides
Image
In a word I claim that our city as a whole is an education to Greece.
Thucydides
Image
Knowledge without understanding is useless.
Thucydides
Image
It is from the greatest dangers that the greatest glory is to be won.
Thucydides
Image
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
Image
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.
Thucydides
Image
Mankind apparently find it easier to drive away adversity than to retain prosperity.
Thucydides
Image
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.
Thucydides