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It must be thoroughly understood that war is a necessity, and that the more readily we accept it, the less will be the ardor of our opponents, and that out of the greatest dangers communities and individuals acquire the greatest glory.

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Notes from Wikiquote

As translated by Rex Warner (1954).

Variants

We must realize, too, that, both for cities and for individuals, it is from the greatest dangers that the greatest glory is to be won.

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They stood where they stood by the power of the sword.

The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.

The secret of happiness is freedom and the secret of freedom is courage.

In fine, I have written my work, not as an essay which is to win the applause of the moment, but as a possession for all time.

Hatred also is short lived; but that which makes the splendor of the present and the glory of the future remains forever unforgotten

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Thucydides (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.