God does not suffer presumption in anyone but himself.

It is a law of nature that fainthearted men should be the fruit of luxurious countries, for we never find that the same soil produces delicacies and heroes.

Let there be nothing untried; for nothing happens by itself, but men obtain all things by trying.

Where even a falsehood must be told, let it be told.

The period of a [Persian] boy's education is between the ages of five and twenty, and he is taught three things only: to ride, to use the bow, and to speak the truth.

A general curiosity about the unknown sparked by the multicultural milieu in which I spent my formative years. There was a lot of unknown back then, too. I dare say it was easier to be an explorer then.

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