Thucydides
Thucydides
Thucydideswas an Athenian historian and general. His History of the Peloponnesian War recounts the 5th century BC war between Sparta and Athens to the year 411 BC. Thucydides has been dubbed the father of "scientific history" because of his strict standards of evidence-gathering and analysis of cause and effect without reference to intervention by the gods, as outlined in his introduction to his work...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionHistorian
safety causes action
speculation is carried on in safety, but, when it comes to action, fear causes failure.
honesty party names
we know that there can never be any solid friendship between individuals, or union between communities that is worth the name, unless the parties be persuaded of each others honesty
powerful cities stronger
For the love of gain would reconcile the weaker to the dominion of the stronger, and the possession of capital enabled the more powerful to reduce the smaller cities to subjection.
men coward quality
The meaning of words had no longer the same relation to things... Reckless daring was held to be loyal courage; prudent delay was the excuse of a coward; moderation was the disguise of unmanly weakness; to know everything was to do nothing. Frantic energy was the true quality of man.
men envy long
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.
heart knowing brave
...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.
human-nature constant humans
Human nature is the one constant through human history. It is always there.
men court despise
For so remarkably perverse is the nature of man that he despises whoever courts him, and admires whoever will not bend before him.
generosity favour receiving
In generosity we are equally singular, acquiring our friends by conferring, not by receiving, favours.
men design inward
still hope leads men to venture; and no one ever yet put himself in peril without the inward conviction that he would succeed in his design.
peace war sea
A collision at sea can ruin your entire day.
travel wall men
It is men who make a city, not walls or ships.
party ambition passion
The cause of all these evils was the lust for power arising from greed and ambition; and from these passions proceeded the violence of parties once engaged in contention.
opportunity giving innovation
... 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.