"But war, taking away the affluence of daily necessaries, is a most violent master and conformeth most men’s passions to the present occasion … The received value of names imposed for signification of things was changed into arbitrary. For inconsiderate boldness was counted true-hearted manliness; provident deliberation, a handsome fear; modesty, the cloak of cowardice; to be wise in everything, to be lazy in everything. A furious suddenness was reputed a point of valour.
To re-advise for the better security was held a fair pretext of tergiversation. He that was fierce was always trusted, and he that contraried such a one was suspected," – Thucydides, Peloponnesian War, translated by Thomas Hobbes.
(Photo: Win McNamee/Getty.)
The Dish 