L. Sprague de Camp Quotes

When I met him in Antigoneia, he seemed a man of truly kingly quality."
Nikolaos, the full citizen, said: "If by kingly quality you mean cold-blooded treachery and murder, then Antigonos is your man.

As all young men must, I was learning the painful lesson that there is no substitute for experience.

So you studied under Lysippos? Didn't you find him a somewhat thorny character?"
"At times, though I should prefer a difficult teacher of the first rank to an amiable mediocrity.

Verily, the great man finds gold and rubies more easily come by than true friendship.

Now I said: “It’s unjust, Father. A man’s fate should be determined impersonally, on the basis of his virtues and abilities alone, without regard to all these petty personal likes and dislikes.”
My father replied: “Perhaps it should be but it isn’t. If they like you, they’ll excuse your faults; if they dislike you, they’ll overlook your virtues.”
“Then they’re a lot of stupid fools!”
“Are you only just now learning that? But if they are, you won’t change them, not in one lifetime.

As they say, no tears are shed when an enemy dies.

Mighty is the empire of habit.

Kanadas, watching from the rail, said: “I wish I go with them.” A tear ran down his dark face. “It is against my religion to travel over sea.”
“Everything’s against your religion, laddie,” I said.
“Of course. That shows it is very pure, moral religion.”

As the Persians say, kindness to the lion is cruelty to the lamb.

That man has convinced me that he is a veritable philosopher. No ordinary man could be so awkward and absent-minded.

'The first in banquets, but the last in battle,'" quoted Pyrron. "Still and all, he suffered from the king's disease."
"What is that?"
"Self-conceit, which, as the proverb says, leads to self-destruction.

Alas, with what fortitude do we bear others’ misfortunes!

The knowledge of how to slay each other more swiftly is no true advance in civilization.

Not even a god, they say, could be at once wise and in love.

One man’s wickedness becomes all men’s curse.