Edward Gibbon Quotes - Page 5

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• The incapacity of a weak and distracted government may often assume the appearance and produce the effects of a treasonable correspondence with the public enemy. If Alaric himself had been introduced into the council of Ravenna, he would probably have advised the same measures which were actually pursued by the ministers of Honorius.

  Edward Gibbon

  Government, History, Enemy

  Edward Gibbon (2009). “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Edited and Abridged): Abridged Edition”, p.563, Modern Library

  19 Copy quote

• In discussing Barbarism and Christianity I have actually been discussing the Fall of Rome.

  Edward Gibbon

  Fall, Rome, Christianity

  8 Copy quote

• Flattery is a foolish suicide; she destroys herself with her own hands.

  Edward Gibbon

  Suicide, Hands, Flattery

  Edward Gibbon (1787). “The history of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire”, p.401

  7 Copy quote

• The imprudent Maximus disregarded these salutary considerations: he gratified his resentment and ambition; he saw the bleeding corpse of Valentinian at his feet; and he heard himself saluted Emperor by the unanimous voice of the senate and people. But the day of his inauguration was the last day of his happiness.

  Edward Gibbon

  Ambition, Voice, Feet

  Edward Gibbon (2015). “History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire V3: the History Focus”, p.235, 谷月社

  10 Copy quote

• Active valour may often be the present of nature; but such patient diligence can be the fruit only of habit and discipline.

  Edward Gibbon

  Often Is, Discipline, History

  Edward Gibbon (1802). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.26

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• My early and invincible love of reading I would not exchange for all the riches of India.

  Edward Gibbon

  Love, Book, Reading

  9 Copy quote

• The science of the church is neglected for the study of geometry, and they lose sight of Heaven while they are employed in measuring the earth. Euclid is perpetually in their hands. Aristotle and Theophrastus are the objects of their admiration; and they express an uncommon reverence for the works of Galen. Their errors are derived from the abuse of the arts and sciences of the infidels, and they corrupt the simplicity of the gospel by the refinements of human reason.

  Edward Gibbon

  Art, Sight, Hands

  Edward Gibbon (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of Edward Gibbon (Illustrated)”, p.594, Delphi Classics

  15 Copy quote

• The sentiment of fear is nearly allied to that of hatred.

  Edward Gibbon

  Hatred, Sentiments

  Edward Gibbon (1869). “The Crusades: A.D. 1095-1261”, p.53

  12 Copy quote

• But [the Arabs'] friendship was venal, their faith inconstant, their enmity capricious: it was an easier task to excite than to disarm these roving barbarians; and, in the familiar intercourse of war, they learned to see, and to despise, the splendid weakness both of Rome and of Persia.

  Edward Gibbon

  War, Rome, Barbarians

  Edward Gibbon (2013). “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: The Modern Library Collection (Complete and Unabridged)”, p.894, Modern Library

  12 Copy quote

• Whenever the offence inspires less horror than the punishment, the rigour of penal law is obliged to give way to the common feelings of mankind.

  Edward Gibbon

  Government, Law, Punishment

  Edward Gibbon (1846). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.444

  6 Copy quote

• The peace of the Eastern church was invaded by a swarm of fanatics [monks], incapable of fear, or reason, or humanity; and the Imperial troops acknowledged, without shame, that they were much less apprehensive of an encounter with the fiercest Barbarians.

  Edward Gibbon

  Humanity, Church, Encounters

  Edward Gibbon (1846). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.349

  7 Copy quote

• Pleasure and guilt are synonymous terms in the language of the monks, and they discovered, by experience, that rigid fasts, and abstemious diet, are the most effectual preservatives against the impure desires of the flesh.

  Edward Gibbon

  Guilt, Desire, Flesh

  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.1728, e-artnow

  4 Copy quote

• It was here that I suspended my religious inquiries (aged 17).

  Edward Gibbon

  Religious, Inquiry, Suspended

  'Memoirs of My Life' (1796) ch. 4

  4 Copy quote

• The distinctions of personal merit and influence, so conspicuous in a republic, so feeble and obscure under a monarchy, were abolished by the despotism of the emperors; who substituted in their room a severe subordination of rank and office, from the titled slaves who were seated on the steps of the throne, to the meanest instruments of arbitrary power.

  Edward Gibbon

  History, Office, Thrones

  Edward Gibbon (2009). “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Edited and Abridged): Abridged Edition”, p.325, Modern Library

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• That public virtue which among the ancients was denominated patriotism, is derived from a strong sense of our own interest in the preservation and prosperity of the free government of which we are members. Such a sentiment, which had rendered the legions of the republic almost invincible, could make but a very feeble impression on the mercenary servants of a despotic prince; and it became necessary to supply that defect by other motives, of a different, but not less forcible nature; honour and religion.

  Edward Gibbon

  Strong, Government, History

  Edward Gibbon (2009). “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Edited and Abridged): Abridged Edition”, p.15, Modern Library

  9 Copy quote

• The mathematics are distinguished by a particular privilege, that is, in the course of ages, they may always advance and can never recede.

  Edward Gibbon

  Math, Epic, Age

  Edward Gibbon (1862). “The history of the decline and fall of the Roman empire”, p.401

  8 Copy quote

• The awful mysteries of the Christian faith and worship were concealed from the eyes of strangers, and even of catechumens, with an affected secrecy, which served to excite their wonder and curiosity.

  Edward Gibbon

  Christian, Eye, History

  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.881, e-artnow

  4 Copy quote

• An absolute monarch, who is rich without patrimony, may be charitable without merit; and Constantine too easily believed that he should purchase the favour of Heaven if he maintained the idle at the expense of the industrious, and distributed among the saints the wealth of the republic.

  Edward Gibbon

  History, Heaven, Saint

  Edward Gibbon (1998). “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.388, Wordsworth Editions

  4 Copy quote

• Suspicious princes often promote the last of mankind, from a vain persuasion that those who have no dependence except on their favor will have no attachment except to the person of their benefactor.

  Edward Gibbon

  Attachment, Favors, Lasts

  Edward Gibbon, Henry Hart Milman (1838). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.154

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• Recluse fanatics have few ideas or sentiments to communicate . . .

  Edward Gibbon

  Ideas, Recluse, Communicate

  Edward Gibbon (2009). “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Edited and Abridged): Abridged Edition”, p.844, Modern Library

  5 Copy quote

• bizarreness masqueraded as creativity.

  Edward Gibbon

  Creativity, Shock

  18 Copy quote

• The Gauls derided the hairy and gigantic savages of the North; their rustic manners, dissonant joy, voracious appetite, and their horrid appearance, equally disgusting to the sight and to the smell.

  Edward Gibbon

  Smell, Sight, Joy

  Edward Gibbon (1789). “The history of the decline and fall of the Roman empire”, p.245

  6 Copy quote

• The gravest of the ecclesiastical historians, Eusebius himself, indirectly confesses that he has related whatever might redound to the glory, and that he has suppressed all that could tend to the disgrace, of religion.

  Edward Gibbon

  Religion, Atheism, Might

  Edward Gibbon (1875). “History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.79

  7 Copy quote

• I was never less alone than when by myself.

  Edward Gibbon

  Loneliness, Being Alone, Feeling Alone

  Edward Gibbon, John Baker Holroyd (2014). “Miscellaneous Works of Edward Gibbon, Esquire”, p.83, Cambridge University Press

  19 Copy quote

• The philosopher, who with calm suspicion examines the dreams and omens, the miracles and prodigies, of profane or even of ecclesiastical history, will probably conclude that, if the eyes of the spectators have sometimes been deceived by fraud, the understanding of the readers has much more frequently been insulted by fiction.

  Edward Gibbon

  Dream, Eye, History

  Edward Gibbon (2015). “History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire V2: the History Focus”, p.155, 谷月社

  8 Copy quote

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