The historian must have some conception of how men who are not historians behave. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The best and most important part of every man's education is that which he gives himself. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Greek is doubtless the most perfect [language] that has been contrived by the art of man. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Boethius might have been styled happy, if that precarious epithet could be safely applied before the last term of the life of… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
But the works of man are impotent against the assaults of nature . . . — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Man has much more to fear from the passions of his fellow-creatures, than from the convulsions of the elements. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
[We should] suspend our belief of every tale that deviates from the laws of nature and the character of man. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Vicissitudes of fortune, which spares neither man nor the proudest of his works, which buries empires and cities in a common grave. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
[But] the man who dares not expose his life in the defence of his children and his property, has lost in society… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
So natural to man is the practice of violence that our indulgence allows the slightest provocation, the most disputable right, as a… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
A bloody and complete victory has sometimes yielded no more than the possession of the field and the loss of ten thousand… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
At that time the archiepiscopal throne of Alexandria was filled by Theophilus, the perpetual enemy of peace and virtue; a bold, bad… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The land was then covered with morasses and forests, which spread to a boundless extent, whenever man has ceased to exercise his… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
If a man were called to fix the period in the history of the world during which the condition of the human… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The chaste severity of the fathers in whatever related to the commerce of the two sexes flowed from the same principle --… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The most sublime efforts of philosophy can extend no farther than feebly to point out the desire, the hope, or, at most,… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
It is scarcely possible that the eyes of contemporaries should discover in the public felicity the latent causes of decay and corruption.… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The love of action is a principle of a much stronger and more doubtful nature. It often leads to anger, to ambition,… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
But this inestimable privilege was soon violated: with the knowledge of truth the emperor imbibed the maxims of persecution; and the sects… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share
The sectaries of a persecuted religion, depressed by fear, animated with resentment, and perhaps heated by enthusiasm, are seldom in a proper temper of… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share
[In] the national and religious conflict of the [Byzantine and Saracen] empires, peace was without confidence, and war without mercy. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share
Instead of a perpetual and perfect measure of the divine will, the fragments of the Koran were produced at the discretion of Mahomet; each… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share
Constantinople was the principal seat and fortress of Arianism; and, in a long interval of forty years, the faith of the princes and prelates… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share
It is the common calamity of old age to lose whatever might have rendered it desirable. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share
If a man were called to fix the period in the history of the world during which the condition of the human race was… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share
If all the barbarian conquerors had been annihilated in the same hour, their total destruction would not have restored the empire of the West:… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share
But the desire of obtaining the advantages, and of escaping the burthens, of political society, is a perpetual and inexhaustible source of discord; nor… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share
[Every] hour of delay abates the fame and force of the invader, and multiplies the resources of defensive war. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share
The science of the church is neglected for the study of geometry, and they lose sight of Heaven while they are employed in measuring… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share
From the paths of blood (and such is the history of nations) I cannot refuse to turn aside to gather some flowers of science… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share
A nation of slaves is always prepared to applaud the clemency of their master who, in the abuse of absolute power, does not proceed… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share
![“Greek is doubtless the most perfect [language] that has been contrived by the art of man.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/d62/edward-gibbon-710_art_greek-is-doubtless-the-most-perfect-lang_2662448.png)
![“[We should] suspend our belief of every tale that deviates from the laws of nature and the character of man.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/841/edward-gibbon-710_belief_we-should-suspend-our-belief-of-every-ta_1033720.png)
![“[But] the man who dares not expose his life in the defence of his children and his property, has lost in society the first and most active energies of nature.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/9b9/edward-gibbon-710_active_but-the-man-who-dares-not-expose-his-lif_2242963.png)
![“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.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.png)
