Thucydides

Historian

Thucydides was an ancient Greek historian and Athenian general best known for History of the Peloponnesian War. His approach to evidence and causation made his work foundational for later political and historical analysis.

Books by Thucydides

History of the Peloponnesian War
View on Amazon
The history of the Peleponnesian war
View on Amazon
On justice, power, and human nature

the essence of Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War
View on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Quotes by Thucydides

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.
Read quote
Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage.
Read quote
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.
Read quote
The absence of romance in my history will, I fear, detract somewhat from its interest, but if it is judged worthy by those inquirers who desire an exact knowledge of the past as an aid to the understanding of the future, which in the course of human things must resemble if it does not reflect it, I shall be content.In fine I have written my work not as an essay with which to win the applause of the moment but as a possession for all time.
Read quote
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.
Read quote
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, graven not on stone but in the hearts of men. Make them your examples, and, esteeming courage to be freedom and freedom to be happiness, do not weigh too nicely the perils of war.[Funeral Oration of Pericles]
Read quote
We Greeks believe that a man who takes no part in public affairs is not merely lazy, but good for nothing
Read quote
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.
Read quote
We Greeks believe that a man who takes no part in public affairs is not merely lazy, but good for nothing
Read quote
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.
Read quote
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, graven not on stone but in the hearts of men. Make them your examples, and, esteeming courage to be freedom and freedom to be happiness, do not weigh too nicely the perils of war.[Funeral Oration of Pericles]
Read quote
Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage.
Read quote
The absence of romance in my history will, I fear, detract somewhat from its interest, but if it is judged worthy by those inquirers who desire an exact knowledge of the past as an aid to the understanding of the future, which in the course of human things must resemble if it does not reflect it, I shall be content.In fine I have written my work not as an essay with which to win the applause of the moment but as a possession for all time.
Read quote
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.
Read quote
History is Philosophy teaching by example.
Read quote
We should remember that one man is much the same as another, and that he is best who is trained in the severest school.
Read quote
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.
Read quote
Wars spring from unseen and generally insignificant causes, the first outbreak being often but an explosion of anger.
Read quote
The strong do what they have to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.
Read quote
We [Greeks] are lovers of the beautiful, yet simple in our tastes, and we cultivate the mind without loss of manliness.
Read quote