Talk:Thucydides

Latest comment: 14 years ago by Antiquary in topic Unsourced

Unsourced edit

Wikiquote no longer allows unsourced quotations, and they are in process of being removed from our pages (see Wikiquote:Limits on quotations); but if you can provide a reliable, precise and verifiable source for any quote on this list please move it to Thucydides. --Antiquary 11:00, 26 July 2009 (UTC)Reply

  • Ignorance is bold and knowledge reserved.
  • Men naturally despise those who court them, but respect those who do not give way to them.
    • Variant translation: It is a general rule of human nature that people despise those who treat them well and look up to those who make no concessions.
  • The secret of freedom, courage.
    • Variant translations:

      The secret of happiness is freedom.

      The secret of freedom is courage.

  • The society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.
    • Variant translations:

      For the majority, to be educated is to be a coward, and to be strong is to be a fool.

      If a man does not appreciate the importance of both knowledge and strength, he is condemed to be a coward or a fool.

  • The standard of justice depends on the equality of power to compel it.
  • Those who are politically apathetic can only survive if they are supported by people who are capable of taking action.
  • Those who make wise decisions are more formidable to their enemies than those who rush madly into strong action.
  • 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.
  • Wars spring from unseen and generally insignificant causes, the first outbreak being often but an explosion of anger.
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