He who least likes courting favour, ought also least to think of resenting neglect; to feel wounded at being refused a distinction can only arise from an overweening appetite to have it.
Plutarch
When a man's eyes are sore his friends do not let him finger them, however much he wishes to, nor do they themselves touch the inflammation: But a man sunk in grief suffers every chance comer to stir and augment his affliction like a running sore; and by reason of the fingering and consequent irritation it hardens into a serious and intractable evil.
grief
But for the sake of some little mouthful of flesh we deprive a soul of the sun and light, and of that proportion of life andtime it had been born into the world to enjoy.
health
For there is no virtue, the honor and credit for which procures a man more odium than that of justice; and this, because more than any other, it acquires a man power and authority among the common people.
honor honesty virtue
An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics.
poverty political-philosophy republic
But virtue, by the bare statement of its actions, can so affect men's minds as to create at once both admiration of the things done and desire to imitate the doers of them. The goods of fortune we would possess and would enjoy; those of virtue we long to practise and exercise. We are content to receive the former from others, the latter we wish others to experience from us. Moral good is a practical stimulus; it is no sooner seen, than it inspires an impulse to practice, and influences the mind and character not by a mere imitation which we look at, but by the statement of the fact creates a moral purpose which we form.
insightful
So long as he was personally present, [Alcibiades] had the perfect mastery of his political adversaries; calumny only succeeded in his absence.
The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits.
benefits people
The abuse of buying and selling votes crept in and money began to play an important part in determining elections.
money
You speak truth, said Themistocles; I should never have been famous if I had been of Seriphus; 4 nor you, had you been of Athens.
truth
I would rather excel in the knowledge of what is excellent, than in the extent of my power and possessions.
power
To make no mistakes is not in the power of man; but from their errors and mistakes the wise and good learn wisdom for the future.
mistakes life wisdom man power
Thus they let their anger and fury take from them the sense of humanity, and demonstrated that no beast is more savage than man when possessed with power answerable to his rage.
anger man power
Laughing at his own son, who got his mother, and by his mother's means his father also, to indulge him, he told him that he had the most power of any one in Greece: For the Athenians command the rest of Greece, I command the Athenians, your mother commands me, and you command your mother.
power rest
Pompey had fought brilliantly and in the end routed Caesar's whole force.. But either he was unable to or else he feared to push on. Caesar to his friends: 'Today the enemy would have won, if they had had a commander who was a winner.
force theend
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