From barbarism to civilization requires a century; from civilization to barbarism needs but a day.

To say nothing, especially when speaking, is half the art of diplomacy.

So the story of man runs in a dreary circle, because he is not yet master of the earth that holds him.

Forget mistakes. Forget failure. Forget everything except what you're going to do now and do it. Today is your lucky day

A great civilization is not conquered from without, until it has destroyed itself from within. The essential causes of Rome's decline lay in her people, her morals, her class struggle, her failing trade, her bureaucratic despotism, her stifling taxes, her consuming wars.

The soul of a civilization is its religion, and it dies with its faith.

The great snare of thought is uncritical acceptance of irrational assumptions.