Herodotus

Every line we carry

Each one links to its source, what it means, and the shirt in any of our looks.

1. God loves to cut down whatever stands tallest.

   Artabanus warns Xerxes before the invasion of Greece that lightning strikes the tallest houses and trees, because the god loves to cut down everything that rises too high. Pride draws the strike. Stay humble at the top.

   Histories 7.10e (Artabanus to Xerxes), our translation from the Greek

2. Great things are won through great dangers.

   Xerxes answers his cautious uncle that great achievements are usually taken by running great risks. Herodotus shows where that led him, but the principle stands. Big results rarely come from safe bets.

   Histories 7.50.3 (Xerxes), our translation from the Greek

3. Better to dare and suffer half the evils than fear everything and do nothing.

   Xerxes says that if you weighed every possible danger equally you would never act, and that it is better to be bold and suffer half of what you fear than to dread everything and achieve nothing. Fear of everything is paralysis. Accept some damage as the price of doing.

   Histories 7.50.1 (Xerxes), our translation from the Greek

4. In peace sons bury fathers. In war fathers bury sons.

   The defeated king Croesus says no one is so foolish as to choose war over peace, because in peace sons bury their fathers and in war fathers bury their sons. It is the plainest case against war ever made.

   Histories 1.87.4 (Croesus), our translation from the Greek

5. The bitterest pain: to understand much and control nothing.

   At a banquet before the battle of Plataea, a Persian tells a Greek that he knows most of his comrades will die and no one will listen to him; the most hateful pain is to see much and have power over nothing. Know where your control ends, and act where it does not.

   Histories 9.16.5, our translation from the Greek

6. Human affairs are a wheel. It never lets the same men prosper forever.

   Croesus advises Cyrus to learn first that human affairs turn like a wheel, which does not allow the same people always to be fortunate. Up and down are both temporary. Plan for the turn.

   Histories 1.207.2 (Croesus), our translation from the Greek

7. Haste breeds mistakes. Patience holds good things you find later.

   Artabanus tells Xerxes that rushing any matter produces failures, from which great damage tends to come, while there is good in holding back, even if it only shows over time. Slow down the big decisions.

   Histories 7.10f (Artabanus), our translation from the Greek