Demosthenes Quotes

• 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.

  Demosthenes

• What we wish, that we readily believe.

  Demosthenes

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

  Demosthenes

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

  Demosthenes

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

  Demosthenes

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

  Demosthenes

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

  Demosthenes

• I am a citizen of the world.

  Demosthenes

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

  Demosthenes

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

  Demosthenes

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

  Demosthenes

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

  Demosthenes

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

  Demosthenes

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

  Demosthenes

• Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.

  Demosthenes

  Topics in Attitude, Opportunity, Success

  Tags in Perception

• There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots. What is it? Distrust.

  Demosthenes

  Topics in Democracy, Politics, Trust

Demosthenes (16)

Birth:	384 BC
Death:	322 BC
Nationality:	Greek
Profession:	Statesman

About

Demosthenes was born in Athens. He was a Greek statesman. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess and provide an insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece during the 4th century BC. He learned rhetoric by studying the speeches of previous great orators.

Related Authors

• Alfred E. Smith
• Lawrence Eagleburger
• Tiberius
• Henry Kissinger
• Lewis Morris
• Bernhard von Bulow
• Francesco Guicciardini
• Lord Chesterfield
• Henry Parkes

Advertisement

Today's Anniversary - 26th March

Births

• 1925 - Pierre Boulez
• 1940 - Nancy Pelosi
• 1949 - Vicki Lawrence
• 1929 - Tom Foley
• 1950 - Martin Short

Deaths

• 2002 - Randy Castillo
• 1959 - Raymond Chandler
• 1980 - Roland Barthes
• 1892 - Walt Whitman
• 1973 - Noël Coward