He asked, 'Croesus, who told you to attack my land and meet me as an enemy instead of a friend?' The King replied, 'It was caused by your good fate and my bad fate. It was the fault of the Greek gods, who with their arrogance, encouraged me to march onto your lands. Nobody is mad enough to choose war whilst there is peace. During times of peace, the sons bury their fathers, but in war it is the fathers who send their sons to the grave. . Herodotus
About This Quote

King Croesus, the former King of Lydia is speaking about how he avoided war instead of starting one. Ancient Greeks believed that it was against their gods to start a war, which is why they didn't start any wars during times of peace. The very fact that Croesus' army had trouble crossing the Hellespont without encountering trouble afterward proved the point.

Source: The Histories

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