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Now the only sure basis of an alliance is for each party to be equally afraid of the other

Thucydides

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Thucydides
Historian
Alliance
Alliances
Equally
Basis
Bases
Afraid
Sure
Party

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Those who have experienced good and bad luck many times have every reason to be skeptical of successes
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Men do not rest content with parrying the attacks of a superior, but often strike the first blow to prevent the attack being made.
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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
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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.
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Amassing of wealth is an opportunity for good deeds, not hubris
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The secret of happiness is freedom and the secret of freedom is courage.
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If you give way, you will instantly have to meet some greater demand, as having been frightened into obedience in the first instance while a firm refusal will make them clearly understand that they must treat you more as equals.
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I have often before now been convinced that a democracy is incapable of empire.
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Hatred also is short lived but that which makes the splendor of the present and the glory of the future remains forever unforgotten here we bless your simplicity but do not envy your folly.
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... Athenians are addicted to innovation. They are daring beyond their judgment they toil on with little opportunity for enjoying, being ever engaged in getting, they were born into the world to take no rest themselves, and to give none to others.
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Abstinence from all injustice to other first-rate powers is a greater tower of strength than anything that can be gained by the sacrifice of permanent tranquillity for an apparent temporary advantage.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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