Reason and judgment are the qualities of a leader. |
Rumor is not always wrong |
Seek to make a person blush for their guilt rather than shed their blood. |
So, as you go into battle, remember your ancestors and remember your descendants |
The brave and bold persist even against fortune; the timid and cowardly rush to despair though fear alone. |
The desire for fame is the last infirmity cast off even by the wise |
The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise. |
The gods are on the side of the stronger |
The hatred of relatives is the most violent |
The hatred of those who are near to us is the most violent |
The illicit has an added charm |
The love of fame is the last weakness which even the wise resign. |
The lust for power, for dominating others, inflames the heart more than any other passion. |
The more corrupt the state, the more laws. |
The principle office of history I take to be this: to prevent virtuous actions from being forgotten, and that evil words and deeds should fear an infamous reputation with posterity. |