215 Quotes by Thucydides

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

Mankind are tolerant of the praises of others as long as each hearer thinks that he can do as well or nearly as well himself, but, when the speaker rises above him, jealousy is aroused and he begins to be incredulous.

It is frequently a misfortune to have very brilliant men in charge of affairs. They expect too much of ordinary men.

In practice we always base our preparations against an enemy on the assumption that his plans are good; indeed, it is right to rest our hopes not on a belief in his blunders, but on the soundness of our provisions. Nor ought we to believe that there is much difference between man and man, but to think that the superiority lies with him who is reared in the severest school.

You should punish in the same manner those who commit crimes with those who accuse falsely.

Peace is an armistice in a war that is continuously going on.

a collision at sea will ruin your entire day

Men's indignation, it seems, is more exited by legal wrong than by violent wrong; the first looks like being cheated by an equal, the second like being compelled by a superior.

You know well as I do that when we are talking on the human plane, questions of justice only arise when there is equal power to compel: in terms of practicality the dominant exact what they can and the weak concede what they must. (Said by Athenian envoy to the Melians)