Demosthenes Quotes
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It is not possible to found a lasting power upon injustice, perjury, and treachery. These may, perhaps, succeed for once, and borrow for awhile, from hope, a gay and flourishing appearance. But time betrays their weakness, and they fall into ruin of themselves. For, as in structures of every kind, the lower parts should have the greatest firmness--so the grounds and principles of actions should be just and true.
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We need money, for sure, Athenians, and without money nothing can be done that ought to be done.
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Nothing is so easy as to deceive oneself; for what we wish, we readily believe.
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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.
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The man who is in the highest state of prosperity, and who thinks his fortune is most secure, knows not if it will remain unchanged till the evening.
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Every dictator is an enemy of freedom, an opponent of law.
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Close alliances with despots are never safe for free states.
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The easiest thing in the world is self-deceit; for every man believes what he wishes, though the reality is often different.
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Great and unexpected successes are often the cause of foolish rushing into acts of extravagance.
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The end of wisdom is consultation and deliberation.
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Do you remember that in classical times when Cicero had finished speaking, the people said, "How well he spoke" but when Demosthenes had finished speaking, they said, "Let us march.
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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.
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Clouds cannot cover secret places, nor denials conceal truth.
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The man who has received a benefit ought always to remember it, but he who has granted it ought to forget the fact at once.
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All speech is vain and empty unless it be accompanied by action.
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The man who flies shall fight again. [Lat., Qui fugiebat, rusus praeliabitur.]
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There are all kinds of devices invented for the protection and preservation of countries: defensive barriers, forts, trenches, and the like... But prudent minds have as a natural gift one safeguard which is the common possession of all, and this applies especially to the dealings of democracies. What is this safeguard? Skepticism. This you must preserve. This you must retain. If you can keep this, you need fear no harm.
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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.
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Delivery, delivery, delivery.
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Nothing is so easy as to deceive one's self; for what we wish, that we readily believe; but such expectations are often inconsistent with the real state of things.