Quotes from Herodotus

He is the best man who, when making his plans, fears and reflects on everything that can happen to him, but in the moment of action is bold.

Before a man dies, hold back and call him not happy but lucky.

The man who has planned badly, if fortune is on his side, may have had a stroke of luck; but his plan was a bad one nonetheless.

Mens fortunes are on a wheel, which in its turning suffers not the same man to prosper for ever.

I never yet feared those men who set a place apart in the middle of their cities where they gather to cheat one another and swear oaths which they break.

The ears of men are lesser agents of belief than their eyes.

Chances rule men and not men chances.

Call no man happy before he dies.

It is a law of nature that fainthearted men should be the fruit of luxurious countries, for we never find that the same soil produces delicacies and heroes.

Many exceedingly rich men are unhappy, but many middling circumstances are fortunate.

Soft men tend to be born from soft countries.

God does not suffer presumption in anyone but himself.

One should always look to the end of everything, how it will finally come out. For the god has shown blessedness to many only to overturn them utterly in the end.

But I like not these great successes of yours; for I know how jealous are the gods.

To think well and to consent to obey someone giving good advice are the same thing.

It is clear that not in one thing alone, but in many ways equality and freedom of speech are a good thing.

Great things are won by great dangers.

I know that human happiness never remains long in the same place.

If you have two loaves of bread, keep one to nourish the body, but sell the other to buy hyacinths for the soul.

In peace children inter their parents, war violates the order of nature and causes parents to inter their children.

A woman takes off her claim to respect along with her garments.

Knowledge may give weight, but accomplishments give lustre, and many more people see than weigh.

Whatever comes from God is impossible for a man to turn back.

Do you see how the god always hurls his bolts at the greatest houses and the tallest trees. For he is wont to thwart whatever is greater than the rest.