Cleisthenes

"When the people hold the brush, the painting of society is far more beautiful."

"Democracy is not a destination but a journey, and all must be fellow travelers."

"The man who fears the vote of his people fears the truth of his own actions."

"To redistribute power is to redistribute hope itself."

"The assembly is where the weak become strong, not through weapons, but through numbers."

"A law that cannot be questioned is a law that has become a tyrant."

"In the ostracism, we have built a safety valve for tyranny itself."

"The future of Athens depends not on my reforms, but on your vigilance in maintaining them."

"Equality before the law is not natural; it must be fought for and defended."

"To give power to the people is to risk chaos; to withhold it is to guarantee slavery."

"The voice that speaks in assembly is sanctified by the presence of his peers."

"Those who work with their hands have as much right to speak as those who work with their minds."

"The reforms are the skeleton; you must give them flesh and blood."

"In dividing Athens into tribes, I have united Athens in purpose."

"A government that must hide its actions from the people has actions that shame it."

"The courage of democracy is that it places faith in the judgment of the ordinary."

"Power given willingly is power that will be respected; power taken is power that will be resented."

"The assembly of free men is worth more than the palace of kings."

"To reform society is to accept that you, too, must be reformed by it."

"The laws I have written are but ink; the laws you live are the true testament."

"In creating democracy, I have created the greatest challenge and the greatest hope for Athens."