[A] military force was collected in Europe, formidable by their arms and numbers, if the generals had understood the science of command,… — 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
[Peace] cannot be honorable or secure, if the sovereign betrays a pusillanimous aversion to war. — 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
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
If we are more affected by the ruin of a palace than by the conflagration of a cottage, our humanity must have… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
A Locrian, who proposed any new law, stood forth in the assembly of the people with a cord round his neck, and… — 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
An absolute monarch, who is rich without patrimony, may be charitable without merit; and Constantine too easily believed that he should purchase… — 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
History, which undertakes to record the transactions of the past, for the instruction of future ages, would ill deserve that honourable office… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
A state of skepticism and suspense may amuse a few inquisitive minds. But the practice of superstition is so congenial to the… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Hope, the best comfort of our imperfect condition, was not denied to the Roman slave; and if he had any opportunity of… — 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… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
If we contrast the rapid progress of this mischievous discovery [gunpowder] with the slow and laborious advances of reason, science, and the… — 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 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 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
If the emperor had capriciously decreed the death of the most eminent and virtuous citizen of the republic, the cruel order would… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
There are two very natural propensities which we may distinguish in the most virtuous and liberal dispositions, the love of pleasure and… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Instructed by history and reflection, Julian was persuaded that, if the diseases of the body may sometimes be cured by salutary violence,… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The fabric of a mighty state, which has been reared by the labours of successive ages, could not be overturned by the… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The philosopher, who with calm suspicion examines the dreams and omens, the miracles and prodigies, of profane or even of ecclesiastical history,… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
A people who still remembered that their ancestors had been the masters of the world would have applauded, with conscious pride, the… — 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
![“[A] military force was collected in Europe, formidable by their arms and numbers, if the generals had understood the science of command, and the soldiers the duty of obedience.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/edward-gibbon-710_arms_a-military-force-was-collected-in-europe_3141270.jpg)
![“[Peace] cannot be honorable or secure, if the sovereign betrays a pusillanimous aversion to war.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/edward-gibbon-710_aversion_peace-cannot-be-honorable-or-secure-if-t_2550333.png)
![“If we contrast the rapid progress of this mischievous discovery [gunpowder] with the slow and laborious advances of reason, science, and the arts of peace, a philosopher, according to his temper, will laugh or weep at the folly of mankind.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12f/edward-gibbon-710_art_if-we-contrast-the-rapid-progress-of-thi_1234386.jpg)
