Brendan’s Reviews > Discourses on Livy > Status Update
Brendan
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“When gain is seen in the things that are put before the people, even though there is loss concealed underneath, and when it appears spirited, even though there is the ruin of the republic concealed underneath, it will always be easy to persuade the multitude of it; and likewise it may always be difficult to persuade [the public]of policies if either cowardice or loss might appear, even though safety and gain might
— Jun 07, 2026 12:33PM
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Brendan
is on page 78 of 367
“Men are wont to worry in evil and to become bored with good, and from both of these two passions the same effects arise. For whenever engaging in combat through necessity is taken from men, they engage in combat through ambition, which is so powerful in human breasts that it never abandons them at whatever rank they rise to. The cause is that nature has created men so that they are able to desire everything and
— Jun 03, 2026 09:27PM
Brendan
is on page 49 of 367
“For as good customs have need of laws to maintain themselves, so laws have need of good customs so as to be observed.”
“This makes new laws insufficient because the orders, which remain fixed, corrupt them.”
— May 27, 2026 08:14PM
“This makes new laws insufficient because the orders, which remain fixed, corrupt them.”
Brendan
is on page 35 of 367
“For a prudent individual knows many goods that do not have in themselves evident reasons with which one can persuade others. This wise men who wish to take away this difficulty have recourse to God.”
— May 26, 2026 09:14PM
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“Many times, deceived by a false image of good, the people desires its own ruin; and if it is not made aware that that is bad and what the good is, by someone in whom it has faith, infinite dangers and harms are brought into republics. When fate makes the people not have faith in someone, as happens at some time after it has been deceived in the past either by things or by men, it of necessity comes to ruin. Dante says to this purpose that many times the people cries: ‘Life!’ to its death and ‘Death!’ to its life.”
