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Edward Gibbon Quotes - Page 7

All Quotes Abuse Accidents Age Ambition Army Art Atheism Authority Birth Character Children Christianity Church Community Constitution Corruption Country Curiosity Desire Discipline Education Effort Evil Exercise Fame Fashion Freedom Giving Glory Gratitude Greatness Greek Growth Guilt Heaven History Honor Humanity Imagination Independence Joy Judging Justice Language Liberty Loneliness Loss Lying Memories Mercy Military Monk Obedience Passion Past Philosophy Poverty Prejudice Pride Progress Reading Reflection Regret Religion Revenge Safety School Science Separation Son Study Tyranny Victory Violence Virtue Wall Weakness Wealth Wisdom Writing

War, in its fairest form, implies a perpetual violation of humanity and justice.

War, in its fairest form, implies a perpetual violation of humanity and justice.

War, Justice, Humanity

Edward Gibbon, Francis Parkman, William H. Prescott, Theodore Roosevelt (2012). “The Modern Library Essential World History 4-Book Bundle: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Abridged); Montcalm and Wolfe; History of the Conquest of Mexico; The Naval War of 1812”, p.871, Modern Library

[In] the national and religious conflict of the [Byzantine and Saracen] empires, peace was without confidence, and war without mercy.

Religious, War, Byzantine

To a philosophic eye, the vices of the clergy are far less dangerous than their virtues.

Eye, Vices, Virtue

Edward Gibbon, M. Guizot (François) (1854). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.421

Our toil is lessened, and our wealth is increased, by our dominion over the useful animals . . .

Animal, Dominion, Toil

Edward Gibbon (1871). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.78

The German huts, open on every side to the eye of indiscretion or jealousy, were a better safeguard of conjugal fidelity than the walls, the bolts, and the eunuchs of a persian harem. To this reason, another may be added of a more honourable nature. The Germans treated their women with esteem and confidence, consulted them on every occasion of importance, and fondly believed that in their breasts resided a sanctity and wisdom more than human.

Wall, Eye, History

Edward Gibbon, Francis Parkman, William H. Prescott, Theodore Roosevelt (2012). “The Modern Library Essential World History 4-Book Bundle: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Abridged); Montcalm and Wolfe; History of the Conquest of Mexico; The Naval War of 1812”, p.237, Modern Library

One must search diligently to find laudatory comments on education (other than those pious platitudes which are fodder for commencement speeches). It appears that most persons who have achieved fame and success in the world of ideas are cynical about formal education. These people are a select few, who often achieved success in spite of their education, or even without it. As has been said, the clever largely educate themselves, those less able aren't sufficiently clever or imaginative to benefit much from education.

Education, Clever, Ideas

The love of liberty was the ruling passion of these Germans; the enjoyment of it, their best treasure; the word that expressed that enjoyment the most pleasing to their ear. They deserved, they assumed, they maintained the honourable epithet of Franks or Freemen; which concealed, though it did not extinguish, the peculiar names of the several states of the confederacy.

Passion, Names, History

Edward Gibbon (1835). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.102

The fortune of nations has often depended on accidents . . .

Fortune, Accidents, Nations

Edward Gibbon, François Guizot (1859). “Guizot's Gibbon: History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.510

Revenge is profitable, gratitude is expensive.

Thank You, Wisdom, Gratitude

Edward Gibbon (2016). “THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (All 6 Volumes): From the Height of the Roman Empire, the Age of Trajan and the Antonines - to the Fall of Byzantium; Including a Review of the Crusades, and the State of Rome during the Middle Ages”, p.374, e-artnow

It is the first care of a reformer to prevent any future reformation.

Firsts, Care, Reformers

Edward Gibbon (1860). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.351

That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.

Country, Men, Law

Edward Gibbon (2016). “THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (All 6 Volumes): From the Height of the Roman Empire, the Age of Trajan and the Antonines - to the Fall of Byzantium; Including a Review of the Crusades, and the State of Rome during the Middle Ages”, p.2070, e-artnow

Although the progress of civilisation has undoubtedly contributed to assuage the fiercer passions of human nature, it seems to have been less favourable to the virtue of chastity, whose most dangerous enemy is the softness of the mind. The refinements of life corrupt while they polish the intercourse of the sexes. The gross appetite of love becomes most dangerous when it is elevated, or rather, indeed, disguised by sentimental passion.

Sex, Passion, Love Is

Edward Gibbon (1998). “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.191, Wordsworth Editions

A society in which marriage is encouraged and industry prevails soon repairs the accidental losses of pestilence and war.

War, Loss, Pestilence

Edward Gibbon, Francis Parkman, William H. Prescott, Theodore Roosevelt (2012). “The Modern Library Essential World History 4-Book Bundle: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Abridged); Montcalm and Wolfe; History of the Conquest of Mexico; The Naval War of 1812”, p.1144, Modern Library

History, which undertakes to record the transactions of the past, for the instruction of future ages, would ill deserve that honourable office if she condescended to plead the cause of tyrants, or to justify the maxims of persecution.

Past, Tyrants, History

Edward Gibbon (1826). “The history of the decline and fall of the Roman empire”, p.18

This variety of objects will suspend, for some time, the course of the narrative; but the interruption will be censured only by those readers who are insensible to the importance of laws and manners, while they peruse, with eager curiosity, the transient intrigues of a court, or the accidental event of a battle.

Law, History, Curiosity

Edward Gibbon, Henry Hart Milman, M. Guizot (François), William Smith (1872). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.197

His manners were less pure, but his character was equally amiable with that of his father. Twenty-two acknowledged concubines, and a library of sixty-two thousand volumes, attested the variety of his inclinations, and from the productions which he left behind him, it appears that the former as well as the latter were designed for use rather than ostentation.

Father, Character, Two

Edward Gibbon, M. Guizot (François) (1853). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.224

The land was then covered with morasses and forests, which spread to a boundless extent, whenever man has ceased to exercise his dominion over the earth.

Exercise, Men, Land

Edward Gibbon (1828). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.331

The subject, however various and important, has already been so frequently, so ably, and so successfully discussed, that it is now grown familiar to the reader, and difficult to the writer.

History, Important, Difficult

Edward Gibbon (1871). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.250

The brutal soldiers satisfied their sensual appetites without consulting either the inclination or the duties of their female captives; and a nice question of casuistry was seriously agitated, Whether those tender victims, who had inflexibly refused their consent to the violation which they sustained, had lost, by their misfortune, the glorious crown of virginity. There were other losses indeed of a more substantial kind and more general concern.

Nice, Loss, History

Edward Gibbon (1840). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.74

Whenever the spirit of fanaticism, at once so credulous and so crafty, has insinuated itself into a noble mind, it insensibly corrodes the vital principles of virtue and veracity.

Mind, Principles, Noble

Edward Gibbon (2015). “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire:”, p.430, Sheba Blake Publishing

Of the various forms of government which have prevailed in the world, an hereditary monarchy seems to present the fairest scope for ridicule.

Government, History, British Monarchy

Edward Gibbon (1821). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.197

Fashion was the only law, pleasure the only pursuit, and the splendour of dress and furniture was the only distinction of the citizens of Antioch. The arts of luxury were honoured; the serious and manly virtues were the subject of ridicule; and the contempt for female modesty and reverent age announced the universal corruption of the capital of the East.

Fashion, Art, Luxury

Edward Gibbon (1860). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.174

Actuated by these motives, and apprehensive of disturbing the repose of an unsettled reign, Julian surprised the world by an edict which was not unworthy of a statesman or a philosopher. He extended to all the inhabitants of the Roman world the benefits of a free and equal toleration; and the only hardship which he inflicted on the Christians was to deprive them of the power of tormenting their fellow-subjects, whom they stigmatised with the odious titles of idolaters and heretics.

Christian, History, Titles

Edward Gibbon (2016). “THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (All 6 Volumes): From the Height of the Roman Empire, the Age of Trajan and the Antonines - to the Fall of Byzantium; Including a Review of the Crusades, and the State of Rome during the Middle Ages”, p.1036, e-artnow

Yet the people, and even the clergy, incapable of forming any rational judgment of the business of peace and war, presumed to arraign the policy of Stilicho, who so often vanquished, so often surrounded, and so often dismissed the implacable enemy of the republic. The first moment of the public safety is devoted to gratitude and joy; but the second is diligently occupied by envy and calumny.

Gratitude, War, People

Edward Gibbon (2009). “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Edited and Abridged): Abridged Edition”, p.552, Modern Library

The barbarians of Germany had felt, and still dreaded, the arms of the young Caesar; his soldiers were the companions of his victory; the grateful provincials enjoyed the blessings of his reign; but the favourites, who had opposed his elevation, were offended by his virtues; and they justly considered the friend of the people as the enemy of the court.

Grateful, Blessing, History

Edward Gibbon (2008). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.396, Cosimo, Inc.

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