Quotes from Xenophon

Those men who, in war, seek to preserve their lives at any rate commonly die with shame and ignominy, while those who look upon death as common to all, and unavoidable, and are only solicitous to die with honour, oftener arrive at old age and, while they live, live happier.

He who has a weak constitution becomes stronger by manual exercise than a robust man without it.

For in the very nature of things, success tends to create pride and blindness in the hearts of men, while suffering teaches them to be patient and strong." "Well spoken, Gobryas!" exclaimed

there was something in me that would not rest until I fulfilled a grand destiny. Thus I created an empire in my thoughts long before I began to win an empire in reality. When

Early on, you can expect no one to believe in your destiny as much as yourself.

I deeply believe that leaders, whatever their profession, are wrong to allow distinctions of rank to flourish within their organizations. Living together on equal terms helps people develop deeper bonds and creates a common conscience.

Success always calls for greater generosity—though most people, lost in the darkness of their own egos, treat it as an occasion for greater greed.

Thálatta! Thálatta!

Success Should Never Breed Complacency

What angers me are all those kings who are fabled for the heaps of gold in their coffers, and their freedom from trouble and pain. I have a different vision. I say that the true leader shuns luxury and ease. Once in power, he should want to work harder than ever.

And even as you're working to ensure the health of your army, you must remember to take care of your own.

If you wish to be thought a good estate manager, or a good horseman, or a good physician, or a good flute player without really being one, just imagine all the tricks you have to invent just to keep up appearances. You might succeed at first, but in the end you're going to be exposed as an impostor.

The suffering of the leader is always lightened by his glory. As much as possible, you must let others share in your glory, so that they never lose heart." I

Your leader is only one man," I heard my voice say. "His strength is no more supernatural than your own, nor is his virtue, and by himself he could never preserve the good things that belong by right to everyone. To govern well, he must have your help—the help of his true, trustworthy friends. You must forever be worthy of his trust, and you must raise up true friends of your own, to help you carry your own burdens. And it is love that must bind all of us together.

To recognize this situation is not to call for a less calculated kind of leadership: It is always the cunning, not the naïve, who rise to power, and leaders must use artfulness to make any organization whatsoever work well. Yet they must never be guided by cynical and self-serving counsels. If they don't call upon their higher selves, they will descend further into petty egotism and tyrannical behavior.

When, lithe of limb, she danced the Pyrrhic, loud clapping followed; and the Paphlagonians asked, If these women fought by their side in battle? to which they answered, To be sure, it was the women who routed the great King, and drove him out of camp. So ended the night.

Let Your Tools Be Equal to the Task   I

battles are decided more by the morale of the troops than by their bodily strength." Syazarees

I am a stranger in all countries.

For I believe that the best life is lived by those who take the best care to make themselves as good as possible, and the pleasantest life by those who are most conscious that they are becoming better.

whatever you determine to be right, with diligence endeavour to perform.

I would force myself again and again to guard against my own overeagerness. Such self-control was crucial, for many times it led to great victories when self-indulgence might have led to defeats.

I once heard you say that dealing with gods and dealing with men weren't such different things. A prince, you taught me, should honor both gods and men during his days of good fortune, so that both men and gods will remember him in his time of need."   True

the shortest and surest way to live with honour in the world is to be in reality what we would appear to be: and if you observe, you will find that all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice and experience of them.