Tacitus

So obscure are the greatest events, as some take for granted any hearsay, whatever its source, others turn truth into falsehood, and both errors find encouragement with posterity.

Great empires are not maintained by timidity.

They have plundered the world, stripping naked the land in their hunger_ they are driven by greed, if their enemy be rich; by ambition, if poor_ They ravage, they slaughter, they seize by false pretenses, and all of this they hail as the construction of empire. And when in their wake nothing remains but a desert, they call that peace.

Crime, once exposed, has no refuge but in audacity.

A bad peace is worse than war.

When men are full of envy they disparage everything, whether it be good or bad.

To plunder, to slaughter, to steal, these things they misname empire; and where they make a wilderness, they call it peace.

Truth is confirmed by inspection and delay falsehood by haste and uncertainty.

Fear is not in the habit of speaking truth; when perfect sincerity is expected, perfect freedom must be allowed; nor has anyone who is apt to be angry when he hears the truth any cause to wonder that he does not hear it.

Valor is of no service, chance rules all, and the bravest often fall by the hands of cowards.

Those in supreme power always suspect and hate their next heir.

Be assured those will be thy worst enemies, not to whom thou hast done evil, but who have done evil to thee. And those will be thy best friends, not to whom thou hast done good, but who have done good to thee.

Old things are always in good repute, present things in disfavor.

It belongs to human nature to hate those you have injured.

It is human nature to hate the man whom you have hurt.

A desire to resist oppression is implanted in the nature of man.

A bad peace is even worse than war.

Things forbidden have a secret charm.