For the love of gain would reconcile the weaker to the dominion of the stronger, and the possession of capital enabled the more powerful to reduce the smaller cities to subjection.
Thucydides
— Thucydides
5th-century BC Athenian historian and general
Download Image Share on X Share on Facebook

About This Quote

About Thucydides

Thucydides was 5th-century bc athenian historian and general. Thucydides was an Athenian historian and general. His History of the Peloponnesian War recounts the fifth-century BC war between Sparta and Athens until the year 411 BC. Read more on Wikipedia →

More quotes by Thucydides

“We Greeks believe that a man who takes no part in public affairs is not merely lazy, but good for nothing”
— Thucydides
inspirational social-commentary

“For the whole earth is the tomb of famous men; not only are they commemorated by columns and inscriptions in their own country, but in foreign lands there dwells also an unwritten memorial of them,...”
— Thucydides
bravery courage fame freedom

“You know and we know, as practical men that the question of justice arises only between parties equal in strength and that the strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must.”
— Thucydides
imperialism inequality war

“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.”
— Thucydides
equality power rights

“Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage.”
— Thucydides
courage discipline self-control self-respect

“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.”
— Thucydides
haste judgement passion
View all quotes by Thucydides →