Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Demosthenes NULL

Greek Statesman and Orator of Ancient Athens

"The end of wisdom is consultation and deliberation."

"Nothing is so easy as to deceive one's self, for what we wish we readily believe; but such expectations are often inconsistent with the reality of things."

"Everything great is not always good, but all good things are great."

"Success has a great tendency to conceal and throw a veil over the evil deeds of men."

"The goal of life for every man is death."

"The future is hidden from all men."

"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 on him, and to talk of it, is little different from reproach."

"It is not possible to found a lasting power upon injustice, perjury, and treachery."

"The man who runs away may fight again."

"Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises."

"The readiest and surest way to get rid of censure, is to correct ourselves."

"What we have in us of the image of God is the love of truth and justice."

"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true."

"A hoarseness caused by swallowing gold and silver."

"As a vessel is known by the sound, whether it be cracked or not; so men are proved, by their speeches, whether they be wise or foolish."

"An Iliad of woes."

"All speech is vain and empty unless it be accompanied by action."

"Close alliances with despots are never safe for free states."

"Excessive dealings with tyrants are not good for the security of free states."

"Beware lest in your anxiety to avoid war you obtain a master."

"No man who is not willing to help himself has any right to apply to his friends, or to the gods."

"Every dictator is an enemy of freedom, an opponent of law."

"Every advantage in the past is judged in the light of the final issue."

"I am a citizen of the world."

"The best protection for the people is not necessarily to believe everything people tell them."

"Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true."

"The man who flies shall fight again."

"Smelling of the lamp."

"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."

"The sinews of affairs are cut."

"The sower of the seed is assuredly the author of the whole harvest of mischief."

"What we wish, that we readily believe."

"Whatever shall be to the advantage of all, may that prevail!"

"To remind a man of the good turns you have done him is very much like a reproach."

"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."

"You cannot have a proud and chivalrous spirit if your conduct is mean and paltry; for whatever a man's actions are, such must be his spirit."