Category Archives: Quotes

On prophecies

“Among other things which they remembered in their distress was, very naturally, the following verse which the old men said had long ago been uttered:

“A Dorian war shall come and with it death.”
[Book 2, Chapter 54, Section 2]

So a dispute arose as to whether dearth and not death had not been the word in the verse; but at the present juncture, it was of course decided in favor of the latter; for the people made their recollection fit in with their sufferings [from the plague]. I fancy, however, that if another Dorian war should ever afterwards come upon us, and a dearth should happen to accompany it, the verse will probably be read accordingly.”
[Book 2, Chapter 54, Section 3]

– Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War

Happy Gandhi Jayanti 2011!

Nearly too late on this, but October 2nd is Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, which is a national holiday in India called, Gandhi Jayanti or sometimes Ganghi Jayanti. Since 2007, October 2nd is also International Day of Nonviolence.  I leave you with Gandhi's seven social sins (Young India, 22-10-1925):

Politics without principles
Wealth without work
Pleasure without conscience
Knowledge without character
Commerce without morality
Science without humanity
Worship without sacrifice