History, in fact, is no more than a list of the crimes of humanity, human follies and accidents — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
History is little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
It is the common calamity of old age to lose whatever might have rendered it desirable. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The frequent repetition of miracles serves to provoke, where it does not subdue, the reason of mankind. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
History is indeed little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The historian must have some conception of how men who are not historians behave. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The voice of history is often little more than the organ of hatred or flattery. — 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
On the slightest touch the unsupported fabric of their pride and power fell to the ground. The expiring senate displayed a sudden… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Philosophy, with the aid of experience, has at length banished the study of alchymy; and the present age, however desirous of riches,… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
From the paths of blood (and such is the history of nations) I cannot refuse to turn aside to gather some flowers… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
[The monks'] credulity debased and vitiated the faculties of the mind: they corrupted the evidence of history; and superstition gradually extinguished the… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The possession and the enjoyment of property are the pledges which bind a civilised people to an improved country. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Such, indeed, is the policy of civil war: severely to remember injuries, and to forget the most important services. Revenge is profitable,… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The awful mysteries of the Christian faith and worship were concealed from the eyes of strangers, and even of catechumens, with an… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
I will not dissemble the first emotions of joy on the recovery of my freedom, and, perhaps, the establishment of my fame.… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The laws of war, that restrain the exercise of national rapine and murder, are founded on two principles of substantial interest: the… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The incapacity of a weak and distracted government may often assume the appearance and produce the effects of a treasonable correspondence with… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Where the subject lies so far beyond our reach, the difference between the highest and the lowest of human understandings may indeed… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
But the severe rules of discipline which the prudence of the bishops had instituted were relaxed by the same prudence in favour… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Among the innumerable monuments of architecture constructed by the Romans, how many have escaped the notice of history, how few have resisted… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Augustus was sensible that mankind is governed by names; nor was he deceived in his expectation, that the senate and people would… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The elegance of dress, of motion, and of manners gives a lustre to beauty, and inflames the senses through the imagination. Luxurious… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
But how shall we excuse the supine inattention of the Pagan and philosophic world to those evidences which were presented by the… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Philosophy had instructed Julian to compare the advantages of action and retirement; but the elevation of his birth and the accidents of… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Actuated by these motives, and apprehensive of disturbing the repose of an unsettled reign, Julian surprised the world by an edict which… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
If Julian had flattered himself that his personal connexion with the capital of the East would be productive of mutual satisfaction to… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The German huts, open on every side to the eye of indiscretion or jealousy, were a better safeguard of conjugal fidelity than… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The virtue of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was of a severer and more laborious kind. It was the well-earned harvest of many a… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The most successful of the Tartar princes assumed the military command, to which he was entitled by the superiority either of merit… — 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
History should be to the political economist a wellspring of experience and wisdom. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The history of empires is the record of human misery; the history of the sciences is that of the greatness and happiness… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
History has scarcely deigned to notice [Libius Severus's] birth, his elevation, his character, or his death. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
If this Punic war was carried on without any effusion of blood, it was owing much less to the moderation than to… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Philosophy alone can boast (and perhaps it is no more than the boast of philosophy), that her gentle hand is able to… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
It is seldom that minds long exercised in business have formed any habits of conversing with themselves, and in the loss of… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Under a democratical government the citizens exercise the powers of sovereignty; and those powers will be first abused, and afterwards lost, if… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Truth, naked, unblushing truth, the first virtue of all serious history, must be the sole recommendation of this personal narrative. — 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 Image
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 Image
[In] the national and religious conflict of the [Byzantine and Saracen] empires, peace was without confidence, and war without mercy. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
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 Image
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 Image
It is the common calamity of old age to lose whatever might have rendered it desirable. — 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 race was… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
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 Image
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 Image
[Every] hour of delay abates the fame and force of the invader, and multiplies the resources of defensive war. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
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 Image
![“[The monks'] credulity debased and vitiated the faculties of the mind: they corrupted the evidence of history; and superstition gradually extinguished the hostile light of philosophy and science.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/95e/edward-gibbon-710_credulity_the-monks-credulity-debased-and-vitiated_2004459.jpg)
![“History has scarcely deigned to notice [Libius Severus's] birth, his elevation, his character, or his death.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/846/edward-gibbon-710_birth_history-has-scarcely-deigned-to-notice-l_745238.jpg)
![“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/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
![“[In] the national and religious conflict of the [Byzantine and Saracen] empires, peace was without confidence, and war without mercy.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/338/edward-gibbon-710_byzantine_in-the-national-and-religious-conflict-o_29382.jpg)
![“[Every] hour of delay abates the fame and force of the invader, and multiplies the resources of defensive war.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4de/edward-gibbon-710_delay_every-hour-of-delay-abates-the-fame-and_94668.jpg)
