Addicted Quote by Thucydides
“... Athenians are addicted to innovation. They are daring beyond their judgment they toil on with little opportunity for enjoying, being ever engaged in getting, they were born into the world to take no rest themselves, and to give none to others.”
About This Quote
Source Historical Text: History of the Peloponnesian War, 5th c. BC
Athenians pursued relentless innovation despite hardship and limited leisure.
In simple terms: Athenians valued relentless progress over comfort.
Key Takeaway
Balance ambition with wellbeing.
Themes
innovation
ambition
societal pressure
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
historical
When to use this quote
- warfare
- public policy
- technological development
- urban planning
Key Concepts
civic duty
military strategy
cultural values
Questions to Reflect On
- What costs arise from constant striving?
- How can societies foster sustainable innovation?
A Different Perspective
Burnout can undermine long‑term success.
![“It was about that time [415 BCE] that the poet Diagoras of Melos was proscribed for atheism, he having declared that the non-punishment of a certain act of iniquity proved that there were no gods. It has been surmised, with some reason, that the iniquity in question was the slaughter of the…” quote by J. M. Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/21f/j-m-robertson-95682_alcibiades_it-was-about-that-time-415-bce-that-the_812164.jpg)
