In view of all this, I have no doubt that Cambyses was completely out of his mind; it is the only possible explanation of his assault upon, and mockery of, everything which ancient law and custom have made sacred in Egypt. If anyone, no matter who, were given the opportunity of choosing from amongst all the nations in the world the set of beliefs which he thought best, he would inevitably, after careful consideration of their relative merits, choose that of his own country. Everyone without exception believes his own native customs, and the religion he was brought up in, to be the best; and that being so, it is unlikely that anyone but a madman would mock at such things. There is abundant evidence that this is the universal feeling about the ancient customs of one's country. One might recall, in particular, an anecdote of Darius. When he was king of Persia, he summoned the Greeks who happened to be present in his court, and asked them what they would take to eat the dead bodies of their fathers. They replied that they would not do it for any money in the world. Later, in the presence of the Greeks, and through an interpreter, so that they could understand what was said, he asked some Indians, of the tribe called the Callatiae, who do in fact eat their parents' dead bodies, what they would take to burn them. They uttered a cry of horror and forbade him to mention such a dreadful thing. One can see by this what custom can do, and Pindar, in my opinion, was right when he called it king of all.
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Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.
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Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal While others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before.
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I never yet feared those men who set a place apart in the middle of their cities where they gather to cheat one another and swear oaths which ...
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If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it.
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Very few things happen at the right time and the rest do not happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.
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But if you know that you are a man too, and that even such are those that rule, learn this first of all: that all human affairs are a wheel wh...
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The worst part a man can suffer is to have insight into much and power over nothing.
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In peace, children inter their parents war violates the order of nature and causes parents to inter their children.
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It is clear that not in one thing alone, but in many ways equality and freedom of speech are a good thing.
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Great deeds are usually wrought at great risks.
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In soft regions are born soft men.
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Not snow, no, nor rain, nor heat, nor night keeps them from accomplishing their appointed courses with all speed.
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A man calumniated is doubly injured -- first by him who utters the calumny, and then by him who believes it.
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Before a man dies, hold back and call him not happy but lucky.
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I know that human good fortune never remains in the same place.
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It is better to be envied than pitied.
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Force has no place where there is need of skill.
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Illness strikes men when they are exposed to change.
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How much better a thing it is to be envied than to be pitied.
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In peace, children inter their parents; war violates the order of nature and causes parents to inter their children.
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They are free, but not entirely free. For Law is despot over them, and they fear him much more than your men fear you.
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This is the bitterest pain among men, to have much knowledge but no power.
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For of those [cities] that were great in earlier times, most of them have now become small, while those which were great in my time were small...
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Men trust their ears less than their eyes.
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Haste in every business brings failures.
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The king's might is greater than human, and his arm is very long.
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