“Pacifism: "Like a snake devouring a mouse, the Earth devours a king who is inclined to peace."

— Arthasastra of Kautilya

Pacifism: "Virtue, stripped of force, reveals its own weakness. ... A state which only defends itself against its powerful neighbors with justice and moderation will be defeated sooner or later."

— Abbot Mably, 1757

Peace: "Peace itself is war in masquerade."

— John Dryden, 1682

Peace, as primary policy objective: "Whenever peace — conceived as the avoidance of war — has been the primary objective of a power or a group of powers, the international system has been at the mercy of the most ruthless member of the international community. Whenever the international order has acknowledged that certain principles could not be compromised even for the sake of peace, stability based on an equilibrium of forces [has been] at least conceivable."

— Henry A. Kissinger, 1964

Peace, bad: "There never was a good war or a bad peace."

— Benjamin Franklin, 1773

Peace, bad: "A bad peace is even worse than war."

— Tacitus, c. 110

[See The Annals III.44: Miseram pacem vel bello bene mutari.]”