It is useless to attack men who could not be controlled even if conquered, while failure would leave us in an even worse position.

Wars spring from unseen and generally insignificant causes, the first outbreak being often but an explosion of anger.

The absence of romance from my history will, I fear, detract somewhat from its interest; but if it be judged useful by those inquirers who desire an exact knowledge of the past as an aid to the interpretation of the future, which in the course of human things must resemble if it does not reflect it, I shall be content. In fine, I have written my work, not as an essay which is to win the applause of the moment, but as a possession for all time.

Love of power, operating through greed and through personal ambition, was the cause of all these evils.

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.

The peoples of the Mediterranean began to emerge from barbarism when they learned to cultivate the olive and the vine.

For if many ill-conceived plans have succeeded through the still greater lack of judgment of an opponent, many more, apparently well laid, have on the contrary ended in disgrace. The confidence with which we form our schemes is never completely justified in their execution; speculation is carried on in safety, but, when it comes to action, fear causes failure.