--- title: "4 Decay Quotes By Edward Gibbon" description: "4 Decay quotes by Edward Gibbon. Plus more from Edward Gibbon and more Decay sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/edward-gibbon-710_accidents_the-decline-of-rome-was-the-natural-and_268417.jpg" --- > [The decline of Rome was the natural and inevitable effect of immoderate greatness. Prosperity ripened the principle of decay; the cause of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-decline-of-rome-was-the-natural-and-inevitable-effect-of/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/edward-gibbon-710_accidents_the-decline-of-rome-was-the-natural-and_268417.jpg) > [The division of the Roman world between the sons of Theodosius marks the final establishment of the empire of the East, which,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-division-of-the-roman-world-between-the-sons-of-theodosius-marks/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da3/edward-gibbon-710_constantinople_the-division-of-the-roman-world-between_1596983.png) > [It is scarcely possible that the eyes of contemporaries should discover in the public felicity the latent causes of decay and corruption.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/it-is-scarcely-possible-that-the-eyes-of-contemporaries-should/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/098/edward-gibbon-710_causes_it-is-scarcely-possible-that-the-eyes-of_2201160.png) > [In less than seven years the vestiges of the Gothic invasion were almost obliterated, and the city appeared to resume its former…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/in-less-than-seven-years-the-vestiges-of-the-gothic-invasion-were/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/edward-gibbon-710_amused_in-less-than-seven-years-the-vestiges-of_2752234.jpg) ## Other authors on Decay ## More by Edward Gibbon > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [The sectaries of a persecuted religion, depressed by fear, animated with resentment, and perhaps heated by enthusiasm, are seldom in a proper temper of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-sectaries-of-a-persecuted-religion-depressed-by-fear-animated/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [A heart to resolve, a head to contrive, and a hand to execute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/a-heart-to-resolve-a-head-to-contrive-and-a-hand-to-execute/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [ \[In\] the national and religious conflict of the \[Byzantine and Saracen\] empires, peace was without confidence, and war without mercy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/in-the-national-and-religious-conflict-of-the-byzantine-and-saracen/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Instead of a perpetual and perfect measure of the divine will, the fragments of the Koran were produced at the discretion of Mahomet; each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/instead-of-a-perpetual-and-perfect-measure-of-the-divine-will-the/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Constantinople was the principal seat and fortress of Arianism; and, in a long interval of forty years, the faith of the princes and prelates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/constantinople-was-the-principal-seat-and-fortress-of-arianism-and-in/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [It is the common calamity of old age to lose whatever might have rendered it desirable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/it-is-the-common-calamity-of-old-age-to-lose-whatever-might-have/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If a man were called to fix the period in the history of the world during which the condition of the human race was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/if-a-man-were-called-to-fix-the-period-in-the-history-of-the-world/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If all the barbarian conquerors had been annihilated in the same hour, their total destruction would not have restored the empire of the West:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/if-all-the-barbarian-conquerors-had-been-annihilated-in-the-same-hour/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [But the desire of obtaining the advantages, and of escaping the burthens, of political society, is a perpetual and inexhaustible source of discord; nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/but-the-desire-of-obtaining-the-advantages-and-of-escaping-the/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [ \[Every\] hour of delay abates the fame and force of the invader, and multiplies the resources of defensive war. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/every-hour-of-delay-abates-the-fame-and-force-of-the-invader-and/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [The science of the church is neglected for the study of geometry, and they lose sight of Heaven while they are employed in measuring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-science-of-the-church-is-neglected-for-the-study-of-geometry-and/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [The progress of despotism tends to disappoint its own purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-progress-of-despotism-tends-to-disappoint-its-own-purpose/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [From the paths of blood (and such is the history of nations) I cannot refuse to turn aside to gather some flowers of science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/from-the-paths-of-blood-and-such-is-the-history-of-nations-i-cannot/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [A nation of slaves is always prepared to applaud the clemency of their master who, in the abuse of absolute power, does not proceed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/a-nation-of-slaves-is-always-prepared-to-applaud-the-clemency-of/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decay/edward-gibbon/#itemlist", "name": "4 Decay Quotes By Edward Gibbon", "numberOfItems": 4, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The decline of Rome was the natural and inevitable effect of immoderate greatness. 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The venerable matron replaced her crown of laurel, which had been ruffled by the storms of war, and was still amused in the last moment of her decay with the prophecies of revenge, of victory, and of eternal dominion.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward Gibbon" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/in-less-than-seven-years-the-vestiges-of-the-gothic-invasion-were/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/edward-gibbon-710_amused_in-less-than-seven-years-the-vestiges-of_2752234.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/edward-gibbon-710_amused_in-less-than-seven-years-the-vestiges-of_2752234.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/117/edward-gibbon-710_amused_in-less-than-seven-years-the-vestiges-of_2752234.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In less than seven years the vestiges of the Gothic invasion were almost obliterated, and the city appeared…” — Edward Gibbon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decay/edward-gibbon/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decay/edward-gibbon/", "name": "Decay Quotes by Edward Gibbon", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decay/edward-gibbon/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/edward-gibbon-710_accidents_the-decline-of-rome-was-the-natural-and_268417.jpg" }, "description": "4 Decay quotes by Edward Gibbon. 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