Quotes about Power
if in every particular action thou dost perform what is fitting to the utmost of thy power, let it suffice thee. And who can hinder thee, but that thou mayest perform what is fitting? But there may be some outward let and impediment. Not any, that can hinder thee, but that whatsoever thou dost, thou may do it, justly, temperately, and with the praise of God.
— Marcus Aurelius
Your mind is your only strength; your reason is your only power.
— Marcus Aurelius
It is in our power to have no opinion about a thing.
— Marcus Aurelius
If it's in your control, why do you do it? If it's in someone else's control, then who are you blaming? Atoms? The gods? Stupid either way. Blame no one.
— Marcus Aurelius
You are not compelled to form any opinion about this matter before you, nor to disturb your peace of mind at all. Things in themselves have no power to extort a verdict from you.
— Marcus Aurelius
In communities and individuals alike, excessive freedom topples over into excessive slavery. Extreme freedom produces a tyrant, along with the extremely harsh and evil slavery that goes with him.
— Cicero
These people who govern us should not be so carried away by their own political power that they turn away from peace, but neither should they embrace a peace that is dishonorable.
— Cicero
When power is scarce, a little of it is tempting.
— Margaret Atwood
You might even provide a Heaven for them. We need You for that. Hell we can make for ourselves.
— Margaret Atwood
Ill take care of it, Luke said. And because he said it instead of her, I knew it meant kill. That is what you have to do before you kill, I thought. You have to create an it, where none was before. You do that first, in your head, and then you make it real. So thats how they do it, I thought. I seemed never to have known that before.
— Margaret Atwood
Things written down can cause a great deal of harm. All too often, people don't consider that.
— Margaret Atwood
Then she let him lick her fingers for her. He ran his tongue around the small ovals of her nails. This was the closest she could get to him without becoming food: she was in him, or part of her was in part of him. Sex was the other way around: While that was going on, he was in her. I'll make you mine, lovers said in old books. They never said, I'll make you me.
— Margaret Atwood