430–355/354 BC) was an Athens-born Greek military commander, philosopher, and historian. At the age of 30, Xenophon was chosen to lead the Ten Thousand, one of the largest Greek mercenary armies of the Achaemenid Empire, as they advanced into and almost conquered Babylon in 401 BC.
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He who marries a beautiful lady in the hopes of finding happiness with her is unaware that she can be the source of all his worries.
Praise is the most lovely tone of all sounds.
Misleaders are hesitant to put in a lot of effort yet quick to act out of greed. They teach their men that being dishonest would make them rich.
Everybody has a deep, often unfulfilled urge to behave kindly rather than selfishly, and one wonderful act of kindness may spur on hundreds of similar acts.
I explained to my people the critical distinction between humility and self-control. I explained to them that although the humble person won’t do anything wrong in public, a real person of impeccable self-control—whom we should all want to be—avoids wrongdoing even in the most intimate moments of his life.
No person will ever know the truth since, even if they were to accidentally speak it, they wouldn’t be aware of it.
An excessive amount of grieving for the dead is insanity; doing so causes harm to the living, but the dead are unaware of this fact.
The morale of the army determines fights more so than their physical prowess.
Xenophon Quotes
Whoever eats with the greatest enjoyment is also the one who needs the least amount of sauce.
Being quick is great, but precision is the most important thing.
I perceive that it is hard to remember a lengthy poem without practise and repetition; similarly, amnesia of the words of teaching created in the heart of a person who has stopped valuing them is also impossible to recall without practise and repetition.
The true test of a leader is whether his followers will adhere to his cause of their own volition, enduring the most arduous hardships without being forced to do so, and remaining steadfast in the moments of greatest peril. This is the true test of a leader.
You can see that even our adversary did not dare to declare war against us until they had captured our generals. They knew that as long as we had commanders and yielded obedience to them, we had the ability to conquer them; however, once they had captured our commanders, they came to the conclusion that we would be destroyed due to a lack of command and discipline.
Every kid born to a famous man in Persia is brought up in the royal court, where they are given the chance to acquire great humility and where nothing impolite is ever spoken or seen.
There was beer available to drink, which, when not diluted with water, had an extremely strong taste, but was agreeable to those who were used to the flavour. They drank it out of the vessel that contained the beer, using a reed, and they could see the barley swimming on the surface of the liquid.
If there is anybody among you who covets wealth, they should work for victory, since those who prevail not only keep their own belongings but also take ownership of those of their foes.
Menon the Thessalian did not disguise either his excessive desire for wealth or his love for dominating, in order to expand his wealth, nor did he cover his desire to be regarded for the purpose of increasing his wealth. He wanted to have a good relationship with people in authority so that he could get away with his wrongdoing without being punished.
Men who fight in war with the intention of prolonging their lives at any cost are more likely to do so in a manner that brings shame and ignominy upon them. On the other hand, those who view death as something that is universal and unavoidable and who are only concerned with dying with honour are more likely to reach old age and are happier while they are still alive.
If a general is able to demonstrate that he is the most capable of doing his duties, there is a far lower chance that the people he is responsible for leading would treat him with disdain.
Even if a person were to plant a farm or plant a field to their utmost ability, they would not be able to predict who would harvest the crops. Another person could build him a house of the fairest proportion, but he would not know who would live in it.
Socrates believed that a government may be regarded an aristocracy if the magistrates were selected from among those citizens who obeyed the law to the letter.
I will go out on a limb and assert that education cannot take place if the student does not find the instructor to be appealing.
You are aware neither numbers nor strength alone are sufficient to win a battle; rather, the side that, with the aid of the gods, assaults with the most determination is often unstoppable.
Cyrus was seen to have more docility than any of his years and to show more submission to those of an advanced age than any other children, despite being in a condition that was inferior to his own. This was despite the fact that Cyrus was in a condition that was inferior to his own.
For my part, I have come to the conclusion that people who make an effort to increase their enlightenment and who are confident in their capacity to educate their fellow citizens on matters pertaining to their own best interests are the least likely to support violent extremism. They are all too aware that using violence brings with it enemies and risks, but using persuasion to achieve the same aims may be done in a way that is both safe and friendly.
We are all aware that the king and Tisaphernes have been responsible for the capture of as many of us as they were able to, and it is abundantly clear that they want to eliminate the rest of us using the same deceitful methods, if they are able to do so.
You see, O Greeks! Because, when they made peace with us, they specified that we should not destroy the territory belonging to the monarch, and now they set fire to it themselves, as though they looked at it no longer as their own, the enemy already acknowledges that the country is ours.
In my opinion, it is more difficult to find men who react to good fortune with humility and compassion than it is to find men who are courageous in the face of hardship. Because prosperity naturally tends to instil pride and blindness in people’s hearts, but adversity teaches them to be strong and patient.
You are well aware that power or sheer numbers do not win battles. No, opponents often are unable to hold them back when one side confronts the adversary with the gods’ gift of a greater morale. My friends, I have also observed that in the military, those whose only goal is to stay alive typically experience a miserable and dishonourable death, whereas those who, realising that death is a fact of life, make an effort to pass on honourably, seem to live longer and have happier lives while they are still alive. Due to the urgency of the situation, you must acknowledge these facts. By doing so, you will demonstrate your own courage and encourage the other men to follow suit.
People often claim to do right while doing wrong, yet no one can be doing wrong if they are doing what is right.
Moderation in all health-promoting activities; complete abstention from all detrimental activities.
Keep in mind the historical lessons. Keep in mind how often whole peoples have let ‘wise’ persons convince them to go to war—only to be completely decimated by the exact enemy they decided to confront! Consider the number of statesmen who assisted in bringing new leaders to prominence before being ousted by their own heirs! Keep in mind how often leaders have decided to treat their friends like slaves—and subsequently died in the uprisings brought on by their foolish choices! How many strong men have yearned to rule the world and, by overreaching, have lost what they once had!
Because just as people who don’t exercise their bodies are awkward and ungainly in their movements, people who don’t exercise their minds are incapable of the noble actions of the mind. They lack the self-control and courage to do anything admirable or to refrain from doing things that are forbidden.
He thought that victory merited the best-looking armour, therefore he had put on the best-looking outfit he could.
Let us not wait for someone to approach us and ask us to do heroic things, in the name of heaven. Instead, let us be the ones who call the others to the road of honour.
Except for situations when it is prohibited by law, stealing is not only acceptable but honourable.
They were over a thousand kilometres from Hellas and didn’t even have a map to show them the way.
When focused on investigating someone else’s affairs, most individuals seldom stop to look inside.
Leaders must always set the bar at the greatest level. Leaders must always put up with their fair share of the heat and light during a summer campaign, as well as the cold and frost during a winter one. If they wish to have their followers’ trust, leaders must consistently demonstrate their tenacity.
In fact, men often don’t see their own frailties, and because of this, they might bring horrible catastrophes upon themselves.
Anything forced is not beautiful Meaning
Anything forced is not beautiful is a very profound quote said by Xenophon, the meaning is as simple as the quote. Anything forced, you cannot force someone to love you, care for you, or even hate you, if the love, the care, the friendship comes on its own, only then it is beautiful, it is authentic, it’s real but if it is forced, it is ugly, it is just on the surface, not real, just an acting.
Xenophon Quotes About Socrates
Socrates devoted his entire life to sharing his wisdom and imparting the greatest possible benefits to anyone who was interested in receiving them. He did this over the course of his entire life. In other words, he elevated the men who participated in his society to a higher level of morality and then joyfully sent them on their way.
Self confidence should always be accompanied with a deep sense of humility.
Even though a men despises brutality and deceit, if he is never given the chance to prove himself, no one will remember him after he passes away.
Why am I still sleeping here?
We are resting here as if we could have the opportunity to relax.
Am I putting it off till I’m a bit older?
A men is unaware of his own limitations when it comes to his own abilities.
Xenophon Quotes on Horse
A horse that likes to show off raises his head high, flexes his poll haughtily, picks his legs up freely, and keeps his tail up.
A horse is a piece of beauty, and no one will ever get tired of gazing at him so long as he continues to present himself in all of his glory.
Because what the horse does when it is compelled to do anything, as Simon also remarks, is done without understanding; and there is no beauty in it either, just as there is no beauty in a dancer being whipped and spurred.
If an alarm goes off, a Persian must first fix his housing, then bridle his horse, and then put on his corslet before he can mount his horse. This causes a great deal of inconvenience for the Persian army, as their horses are chained and generally shackled to prevent them from running away. Additionally, if the alarm goes off, a Persian must first fix his housing, then bridle his horse, and then put on his corslet.