Anna Komnene

Anna Komnene (1083-1153 CE)

"I must say I have never seen an evil man who in all his deeds and words did not depart far from the path of right; whenever a man leaves the middle course, to whatever extreme he inclines he takes his stand far from virtue."

• From The Alexiad (Book X) by Anna Komnene, translated by E. R. A. Sewter and revised by Peter Frankopan (Penguin Classics, 2009).

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Heraclitus of Ephesus

Heraclitus of Ephesus (Ancient Greek philosopher, 6th and 5th Century BCE)

"Bad witnesses to men are eyes and ears, when they belong to men whose souls cannot understand their language."

• Fragment of Heraclitus 107, translated by Diels-Kranz, 1951.

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Admiral Henning von Holtzendorff

Admiral Henning von Holtzendorff (German Admiral largely responsible for the reintroduction of unrestricted submarine warfare in 1917 which encouraged the United States to enter WWI; lived 1853-1919 CE)

"I guarantee upon my word as a naval officer that no American will set foot on the Continent!"

• From a memorandum given by Holtzendorff translated in Barbara Tuchman's Zimmermann Telegram.

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Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin (American Founding Father, 1706-1790)

"There are Croakers in every Country always boding its Ruin."

• From The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, edited by Kennith Silverman (Penguin Classics, 1986).

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Plato

Plato (427-347 BCE)

"We see the same thing simultaneously as one and as infinitely many."

• From Plato's Republic (Educating Philosopher Kings), translated by Robin Waterfield, 1994. Photo of Plato used in this quote picture is licensed as Creative Commons 4.0 (CC 4.0).

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Herodotus

Herodotus (490-425/420 BCE)

"In the temple of Babylon there is a second shrine lower down, in which is a great sitting figure of Bel, all of gold on a golden throne, supported on a base of gold, with a golden table standing beside it. I was told by the Chaldaeans that, to make all this, more than twenty-two tons of gold were used."

• From The Histories by Herodotus, translated by Aubrey De Sélincourt and revised by John Marincola. He is likely describing a ziggurat in the Babylonian temple complex of Esagila. He goes on to mention two more altars outside of the temple described above; one of gold, and another of silver. 

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Geoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey Chaucer (1342-1400 CE)

"I do not choose to stuff with chaff and straw
My lengthy tale, I rather seek the corn."

• From The Canterbury Tales of Geoffrey Chaucer (The Man of Law's Tale), translated by Nevill Coghill (Penguin Classics, 2003).

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Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu (Chinese strategist and philosopher, 6th-5th Century BCE)

"Speed
     Is the essence of War.
     Exploit the enemy's unpreparedness;
     Attack him unawares;
     Take an unexpected route."

• From Sun Tzu's The Art of War (Chapter 11), translated by John Minford (Penguin Classics, 2009).

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Christine de Pizan

Christine de Pizan (Professional writer from France, 1364-1430 CE)

"You can't define something as being for the common good of a city, country or any other community of people, if it doesn't contribute to the universal good of all."

• From The Book of the City of Ladies by Christine de Pizan, translated by Rosalind Brown-Grant (Penguin Classics, 1999).

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John Locke

John Locke (1632-1704 CE)

"Without consciousness there is no person."

• From John Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. 

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Snorri Sturluson

Snorri Sturluson (Icelandic Chief, 1179-1241 CE)

'The dwarves emerged first, finding life in Ymir's flesh. They were maggots at that time, but by a decision of the gods they acquired understanding and assumed the likeness of men, living in the earth and the rocks."

• From Snorri Sturluson's The Prose Edda, translated by Jesse Byock (Penguin Classics, 2005).

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Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar (100-44 BCE)

"There is a certain impetuosity of spirit and an alacrity implanted by nature in the hearts of all men, which is inflamed by a desire to meet the foe."

• From Julius Caesar's War Commentaries, translated by W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn, 2014.

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Tertullian

Tertullian (2nd and 3rd century Christian theologian)

"If the Tiber rises as high as the city walls, if the Nile does not rise to the fields, if the weather will not change, if there is an earthquake, a famine, a plague--straightway the cry is heard: 'Toss the Christians to the lion!' So many of them for just one beast?"

• From Tertullian's Apology, translated by Rudolph Arbesmann.

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Geoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey Chaucer (English poet, 1342-1400 CE)

"This world is but a thoroughfare of woe
And we are pilgrims passing to and fro.
Death is the end of every worldly sore."

• From Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (The Knight's Tale), translated by Neville Coghill (Penguin Classics, 2003).

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Lao Tzu

Lao Tzu (Chinese philosopher and Daoist theologian, lived around the 6th and 5th century BCE)

"There is a thing confusedly formed,
Born before heaven and earth.
Silent and void
It stands alone and does not change,
Goes round and does not weary."

• From Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching (Book One, XXV), translated by D. C. Lau (Penguin Classics, 1963).

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Anna Komnene

Anna Komnene (Princess of the Byzantine Empire, 1083-1153 CE)

"Conscience is a terrible accuser."

• From Anna Komnene's The Alexiad (Book IX), translated by E. R. A. Sewter (Penguin Classics, 2009).

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Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu (Sayings recorded from 6th-3rd century BCE)

"Words of peace,
But no treaty,
Are a sign
Of a plot."

• From Sun Tzu's The Art of Wat, translated by John Minford (Penguin Classics, 2002).

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The Malleus Maleficarum

Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger (15th century CE)

"There is a great power in the eyes, and this appears even in natural things."

• From The Malleus Maleficarum by Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger, translated by Montague Summers (Dover Publications, 1971). The creepy picture of the eye is licensed as Creative Commons 2.0 (CC 2.0).

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Snorri Sturluson

Snorri Sturluson (Icelandic Chief, 1179-1241)

"Hraesvelg, he is called,
who sits at heaven's end,
a giant in eagle's shape.
From his wings,
it is said, the winds
blow over all men."

• From The Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson, translated by Jesse Byock (Penguin Classics, 2005).

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St. Teresa of Avila

St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582 CE)

"It should be noted here that it is not the spring, or the brilliant sun which is in the centre of the soul, that loses its splendour and beauty, for they are always within it and nothing can take away their beauty."

• From S. Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle, translated by E. Allison Peers (Dover Publications, 2007).

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Murasaki Shikibu

Murasaki Shikibu (10th and 11th century Japanese novelist)

"We all have our own destiny, and no one knows where it will lead."

• From Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji, translated by Royall Tyler (Penguin Classics, 2003).

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