Demosthenes Quotes - Page 2

• Excessive dealings with tyrants are not good for the security of free states.

  Demosthenes

  Tyrants, States, Dealings

  12 Copy quote

• No man who is not willing to help himself has any right to apply to his friends, or to the gods.

  Demosthenes

  Men, Helping, Willing

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• The sower of the seed is assuredly the author of the whole harvest of mischief.

  Demosthenes

  Harvest, Mischief, Whole

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• The man who flies shall fight again.
  [Lat., Qui fugiebat, rusus praeliabitur.]

  Demosthenes

  War, Fighting, Men

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• Small opportunities often presage great enterprises.

  Demosthenes

  Opportunity, Enterprise

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• Whatever shall be to the advantage of all, may that prevail!

  Demosthenes

  May, Advantage

  Demosthenes (2015). “Complete Works of Demosthenes (Delphi Classics)”, p.52, Delphi Classics

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• Nothing is more easy than to deceive one's self, as our affections are subtle persuaders.

  Demosthenes

  Self, Deceit, Affection

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• There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots - suspicion.

  Demosthenes

  Trust, Wise, Tyrants

  26 Copy quote

• Beware lest in your anxiety to avoid war you obtain a master

  Demosthenes

  Peace, War, Anxiety

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• He who confers a favor should at once forget it, if he is not to show a sordid ungenerous spirit. To remind a man of a kindness conferred and to talk of it, is little different from reproach.

  Demosthenes

  Kindness, Men, Different

  24 Copy quote

• Good fortune is the greatest of blessings, but good counsel comes next, and the lack of it destroys the other also.

  Demosthenes

  Blessing, Next, Fortune

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• What a man wishes, he will believe.

  Demosthenes

  Believe, Men, Wish

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• To remind a man of the good turns you have done him is very much like a reproach.

  Demosthenes

  Men, Done, Turns

  Demosthenes (2015). “Complete Works of Demosthenes (Delphi Classics)”, p.2206, Delphi Classics

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• It is impossible for men engaged in low and groveling pursuits to have noble and generous sentiments. A man's thought must always follow his employment.

  Demosthenes

  Men, Noble, Impossible

  29 Copy quote

• It is the natural disposition of all men to listen with pleasure to abuse and slander of their neighbour, and to hear with impatience those who utter praises of themselves.

  Demosthenes

  Men, Abuse, Praise

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• We need money, for sure, Athenians, and without money nothing can be done that ought to be done.

  Demosthenes

  Needs, Done, Need Money

  30 Copy quote

• The end of wisdom is consultation and deliberation.

  Demosthenes

  Wisdom, Ends, Deliberation

  23 Copy quote

• I decline to buy repentance at the cost of ten thousand drachmas.

  Demosthenes

  Cost, Repentance, Decline

  7 Copy quote

• Close alliances with despots are never safe for free states.

  Demosthenes

  Safety, Alliances, States

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• The readiest and surest way to get rid of censure, is to correct ourselves.

  Demosthenes

  Way, Censure

  "The World's Laconics: Or, The Best Thoughts of the Best Authors" by Everard Berkeley, (p. 34), 1853.

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• What we wish, that we readily believe.

  Demosthenes

  Believe, Wish

  Demosthenes, Aeschines, Dinarchus (1831). “The orations of Demosthenes”, p.79

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• There is a great deal of wishful thinking in such cases it is the easiest thing of all to deceive ones self.

  Demosthenes

  Thinking, Self, Deceiving

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• We believe whatever we want to believe.

  Demosthenes

  Believe, Want

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• The more able a man is, if he make ill use of his abilities, the more dangerous will he be to the commonwealth.

  Demosthenes

  Men, Use, Able

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• Every advantage in the past is judged in the light of the final issue.

  Demosthenes

  Past, Light, Issues

  Demosthenes (2015). “Complete Works of Demosthenes (Delphi Classics)”, p.59, Delphi Classics

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