To be an object of hatred and aversion to their contemporaries has been the usual fate of all those whose merit has raised them above the common level. The man who submits to the shafts of envy for the sake of noble objects pursues a judicious course for his own lasting fame. Hatred dies with its object, while merit soon breaks forth in full splendor, and his glory is handed down to posterity in never-dying strains.

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

I think the two things most opposed to good counsel are haste and passion; haste usaully goes hand in hand with folly, passion with coarseness and narrowness of mind.

Right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.

When tremendous dangers are involved, no one can be blamed for looking to his own interest.

What made the war inevitable was the growth of Athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta.

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