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
cheated compelled excited legal looks men second violent wrong
Men's indignation, it seems, is more excited by legal wrong than by violent wrong; the first looks like being cheated by an equal, the second like being compelled by a superior.
best man
We should remember that one man is much the same as another, and that he is best who is trained in the severest school.
despise men naturally respect
Men naturally despise those who court them, but respect those who do not give way to them.
injured until
Justice will not come to Athens until those who are not injured are as indignant as those who are injured.
freedom happiness secret
The secret to happiness is freedom... And the secret to freedom is courage.
i-miss-you missing-you long-distance-relationship
As contraries are known by contraries, so is the delight of presence best known by the torments of absence.
successful issues desire
Few things are brought to a successful issue by impetuous desire, but most by calm and prudent forethought.
being-free courageous depends
Happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous.
secret
The secret of happiness is freedom.
men liberty use
When one is deprived of ones liberty, one is right in blaming not so much the man who puts the shackles on as the one who had the power to prevent him, but did not use it.
army night crowds
when night came on, the Macedonians and the barbarian crowd suddenly took fright in one of those mysterious panics to which great armies are liable
believe men greek
We Greeks believe that a man who takes no part in public affairs is not merely lazy, but good for nothing
greatness men honor
Remember that this greatness was won by men with courage, with knowledge of their duty, and with a sense of honor in action.
selfish thinking issues
Some legislators only wish to vengeance against a particular enemy. Others only look out for themselves. They devote very little time on the consideration of any public issue. They think that no harm will come from their neglect. They act as if it is always the business of somebody else to look after this or that. When this selfish notion is entertained by all, the commonwealth slowly begins to decay.