Hugo Grotius

govern nation city family himself passion reason

"A man cannot govern a nation if he cannot govern a city; he cannot govern a city if he cannot govern a family; he cannot govern a family unless he can govern himself; and he cannot govern himself unless his passions are subject to reason".

—Hugo Grotius (1583-1645)

arms cause respect law divine human

"Men rush to arms for slight causes, or no cause at all, and once taken up there is no longer any respect for law, divine or human."

—Hugo Grotius (1583-1645)

state body free men united enjoy common right advantage

"A state is a perfect body of free men, united together to enjoy common rights and advantages."

—Hugo Grotius (1583-1645)

understand accomplish nothing

"By understanding many things, I have accomplished nothing".

—Hugo Grotius (1583-1645)

christianity license fight war barbarous nation blush law

"I saw in the whole Christian world a license of fighting at which even barbarous nations might blush. Wars were begun on trifling pretexts or none at all, and carried on without any reference of law, Divine or human".

—Hugo Grotius (1583-1645)

liberty power ourself

"Liberty is the power that we have over ourselves".

—Hugo Grotius (1583-1645)

life laboriously doing nothing

"I have spent my life laboriously doing nothing".

—Hugo Grotius (1583-1645)

ignorance subject wisdom

"Ignorance of certain subjects is a great part of wisdom".

—Hugo Grotius (1583-1645)