On the recordc. 349 BC
So in political affairs, they who misuse their opportunities forget even the good which the gods send them; for every prior event is judged commonly by the last result.
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Demosthenes
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gutenberg.orgDemosthenes: “So in political affairs, they who misuse their opportunities forget even the good which the gods send them; for every…”
Editor's note · Context
Demosthenes applies a general principle of human judgment to political affairs, noting that past benefits are often forgotten if current outcomes are negative.
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Such is the truth, spoken with perfect freedom, purely from good-will and for the best: not a speech fraught with flattery and mischief and deceit, to earn money for the speaker, and to put the commonwealth into the hands of our enemies.
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