Thucydides

"Wealth brings luxury, luxury brings arrogance, and arrogance brings ruin."

"The friendship of the powerful is purchased at a terrible price."

"It is not the oath that makes us believe the man, but the man that makes us believe the oath."

"In times of war and conflict, it is the eloquent who persuade the masses."

"The mind adjusts itself to any set of circumstances if it has sufficient time."

"Fortune is a thing which has great influence over all transactions."

"A man is the product of his desires; he becomes that which he yearns for."

"When authority is placed in the hands of those who do not deserve it, injustice flourishes."

"The greatest evils are not born from great vices but from excessive virtue pursued without wisdom."

"Time alone reveals the just and unjust."

"A state that despises learning will eventually be conquered by one that does not."

"The hope of safety lies in the speedy execution of bold plans."

"Men are so constituted that they take on the character of their rulers."

"The true destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits."

"In the game of nations, weakness invites aggression as surely as blood attracts sharks."

"A man's character is his fate."

"The gods favor those who act boldly and decisively in uncertain times."

"It is more shameful to mistrust one's allies than to be deceived by them."

"The penalty that wise men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men."

"Adversity reveals character; prosperity hides it."

"The past offers instruction to the present and warning to the future."

"To do injustice is an advantage to the perpetrator; to suffer it is a disadvantage to the victim."

"A sound mind in a strong body is the foundation of all happiness."

"Those who would attain peace must first understand the nature of war."

"The lover of his country obeys its laws even when they are unjust."

"In democracy, the masses believe that freedom means the right to ignore the law."

"We are more inclined to cast blame on those we dislike than to give credit to those we do."

"The man who says he cares not for public opinion is either a fool or a tyrant."

"Art imitates life, but bad art imitates other bad art."

"The foundation of any strong nation is a well-educated citizenry."