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Thucydides, Athenian general exiled from his command, who spent twenty years chronicling the Peloponnesian War from, gets quoted everywhere and sourced almost nowhere. The 6 quotes below are different: each one is checked word for word against the cited work, starting with History of the Peloponnesian War, not copied from aggregator sites that pass misattributions along. The source is named under every line, so you can trace each quote back to the page it came from.
Read Thucydides's full profile and how they reason →6 verified quotes
On negotiating from a position of weakness:
The strong do what they have the power to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War
On grieving someone whose legacy outgrew their grave:
The whole earth is the tomb of famous men.Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War
On deciding whether to stay silent on issues that affect everyone:
We alone regard him who takes no part in public affairs, not as a harmless, but as a useless character.Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War
On slowing down to debate a decision instead of rushing it:
Instead of looking on discussion as a stumbling block in the way of action, we think it an indispensable preliminary to any wise action at all.Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War
On taking a risk with your eyes open instead of pretending it is safe:
The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War
On dealing with someone who only respects power:
Of the gods we believe, and of men we know, that by a necessary law of their nature they rule wherever they can.Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War