Tacitus

Truth is confirmed by inspection and delay falsehood by haste and uncertainty.

A bad peace is even worse than war.

To plunder, to slaughter, to steal, these things they misname empire and where they make a wilderness, they call it peace.

A desire to resist oppression is implanted in the nature of man.

The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.

Fear is not in the habit of speaking truth when perfect sincerity is expected, perfect freedom must be allowed nor has anyone who is apt to be angry when he hears the truth any cause to wonder that he does not hear it.

Reason and judgment are the qualities of a leader.

Be assured those will be thy worst enemies, not to whom thou hast done evil, but who have done evil to thee. And those will be thy best friends, not to whom thou hast done good, but who have done good to thee.