All is forgiven to kings and popes. History grants them immunity, even a full pardon, even when they admit their crimes and glory in them. - Robert Payne

The game of power is played remorselessly by men who have not the slightest knowledge of, or interest in, the way ordinary people live, and the ordinary people are too terrified to protest.

Long before the empire had reached its greatest extent, the Romans were bored by it.

Naked power has its limitations, since power is a generator of corruption and corruption in its turn tends to dilute the effectiveness of power.