In my experience, men who respond to good fortune with modesty and kindness are harder to find than those who face adversity with courage.
Whenever you can, act as a liberator. Freedom, dignity, wealth – these three together constitute the greatest happiness of humanity. If you bequeath all three to your people, their love for you will never die.
A man’s enjoyment of all good things is in exact proportion to the pains he has undergone to gain them.
Even if the skies were shorter than my knees, I would not kneel.
You cannot be buried in obscurity: you are exposed upon a grand theater to the view of the world. If your actions are upright and benevolent, be assured they will augment your power and happiness.
All men have their frailties; and whoever looks for a friend without imperfections, will never find what he seeks.
Brevity is the soul of command. Too much talking suggests desperation on the part of the leader. Speak shortly, decisively and to the point–and couch your desires in such natural logic that no one can raise objections. Then move on.
I am Cyrus, king of the world...
Diversity in counsel, unity in command.
O man, whoever you are and wherever you come from, for I know you will come, I am Cyrus who won the Persians their empire. Do not therefore begrudge me this bit of earth that covers my bones.
We love ourselves notwithstanding our faults, and we ought to love our friends in like manner.
Do not suppose, my dearest sons, that when I have left you I shall be nowhere and no one. Even when I was with you, you did not see my soul, but knew that it was in this body of mine from what I did. Believe then that it is still the same, even though you see it not.
Success should always call for showing greater kindness, generosity, and justice; only people lost in the darkness treat it as an occassion for greater greed.