It is striking how history, when resting on the memory of men, always touches the bounds of mythology. – Leopold von Ranke, History of the Popes

Its very attractive to people to be a victim. Instead of having to think out the whole situation, about history and your group and what you are doing… if you begin from the point of view of being a victim, youve got it half-made. I mean intellectually. – V. S. Naipaul