“If so and so criticizes me I shall take care to render an account of my acts and words; if he persists, our enmity will be mutual.”...

Augustus to Tiberius: My dear Tiberius, do not be carried away by the ardour of youth in this matter, or take it too much to heart that...

Churchill:

The composure of Pericles:

“First be sure you’re right, then go ahead!’ I ask myself, ‘Is it right?’ Satisfied that it is so, I let nothing swerve me from my purpose.” If a general “adopts public opinion as guide,” he concluded, he “cannot entertain one purpose long, for what pleases one will displeasure another.”

My first promotion was my being chosen, in 1736, clerk of the General Assembly. The choice was made that year without opposition; but the year following, when I was again propos'd (the choice, like that of the members, being annual), a new member made a long speech against me in order to favour some other candidate. I was, however, chosen, which was the more agreeable to me as, besides the pay for the immediate service as clerk, the place gave me a better opportunity of keepi

Everything has two handles, by one of which it ought to be carried and by the other not. If your brother wrongs you, do not lay hold of the matter by the handle of the wrong that he is doing, because this is the handle by which the matter ought not to be carried; but rather by the other handle – that he is your brother, that you were brought up together, and then you will be laying hold of the matter by the handle by which it ought to be carried.

If someone brings you word that So-and-so is speaking ill of you, do not defend yourself against what has been said, but answer, “Yes, indeed, for he did not know the rest of the faults that attach to me; if he had, these would not have been the only ones he mentioned.”

“It is the lot of a king, O Cyrus, to do well, but to be ill spoken of.”

Is it possible, then, to derive advantage from these things? – Yes, from everything. – Even from the man who reviles me? – And what good does his wrestling-companion do the athlete? The very greatest. So also my reviler becomes one who prepares me for my contest; he exercises my patience, my dispassionateness, my gentleness.