After all, no one is stupid enough to prefer war to peace; in peace sons bury their fathers and in war fathers bury their sons.

In peace, children inter their parents; war violates the order of nature and causes parents to inter their children.

He asked, 'Croesus, who told you to attack my land and meet me as an enemy instead of a friend?'The King replied, 'It was caused by your good fate and my bad fate. It was the fault of the Greek gods, who with their arrogance, encouraged me to march onto your lands. Nobody is mad enough to choose war whilst there is peace. During times of peace, the sons bury their fathers, but in war it is the fathers who send their sons to the grave.

Civil strife is as much a greater evil than a concerted war effort as war itself is worse than peace.