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

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

I could have wished that the reputations of many brave men were not to be imperilled in the mouth of a single individual, to stand or fall according as he spoke well or ill. For it is hard to speak properly upon a subject where it is even difficult to convince your hearers that you are speaking the truth.

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.

People get into the habit of entrusting the things they desire to wishful thinking, and subjecting things they don't desire to exhaustive thinking

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

Amassing of wealth is an opportunity for good deeds, not hubris