We Persians have a saying that one should deliberate serious matters first drunk, then sober. Mary Renault More Quotes by Mary Renault More Quotes From Mary Renault One must live as if it would be forever, and as if one might die each moment. Always both at once. Mary Renault would-be forever life It is better to believe in men too rashly, and regret, than believe too meanly. Men could be more than they are, if they would try for it. He has shown them that. Mary Renault regret men believe All men seek esteem; the best by lifting themselves, which is hard to do, the rest by shoving others down, which is much easier. Mary Renault esteem easier men There is nothing like despair to make one throw oneself upon the gods. Mary Renault oneself despair Never destroy without thought your enemy's pretences; they are usually your best weapon against him. Mary Renault pretence weapons enemy Often beauty grows dull or common when speech breaks the mask. Mary Renault speech common dull Half the world's troubles come from men not being trained to resent a fallacy as much as an insult. Mary Renault half truth men It is bitter to lose a friend to evil before one loses him to death. Mary Renault bitterness evil friendship How can people trust the harvest, unless they see it sown? Mary Renault harvest trust people The rightness of a thing isn't determined by the amount of courage it takes. Mary Renault amount determined A man is at his youngest when he thinks he is a man, not yet realizing that his actions must show it. Mary Renault action men thinking The perpetual stream of human nature is formed into ever-changing shallows, eddies, falls and pools by the land over which it passes. Perhaps the only real value of history lies in considering this endlessly varied play between the essence and the accidents. Mary Renault real lying fall It is something, I thought, when a king can put a courtesan to the blush. Mary Renault courtesans kings In all men is evil sleeping; the good man is he who will not awaken it, in himself or in other men. Mary Renault sleep integrity men In hatred as in love, we grow like the thing we brood upon. What we loathe, we graft into our very soul. Mary Renault hate hatred life Everything is change; and you cannot step twice into the same river. Mary Renault greek-philosophy steps rivers There is only one kind of shock worse than the totally unexpected: the expected for which one has refused to prepare. Mary Renault unexpected shock kind One might have supposed that the true act of love was to lie together and talk. Mary Renault inspiring-love together lying death was the price of life. Mary Renault life Clouds of black birds rose up wailing and screaming, like the thoughts of my heart. Mary Renault rose clouds heart
