[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
[Every] hour of delay abates the fame and force of the invader, and multiplies the resources of defensive war. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Ignorant of the arts of luxury, the primitive Romans had improved the science of government and war. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
In the various states of society, armies are recruited from very different motives. Barbarians are urged by the love of war; the… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The single combats of the heroes of history or fable amuse our fancy and engage our affections: the skillful evolutions of war… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Inclined to peace by his temper and situation, it was easy for [Augustus] to discover that Rome, in her present exalted situation,… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
“If the empire had been afflicted by any recent calamity, by a plague, a famine, or an unsuccessful war; if the Tiber… — 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
In the purer ages of the commonwealth, the use of arms was reserved for those ranks of citizens who had a country… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
A society in which marriage is encouraged and industry prevails soon repairs the accidental losses of pestilence and war. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The most distinguished merit of those two officers was their respective prowess, of the one in the combats of Bacchus, of the… — 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
But [the Arabs'] friendship was venal, their faith inconstant, their enmity capricious: it was an easier task to excite than to disarm… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
War, in its fairest form, implies a perpetual violation of humanity and justice. — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The fierce and partial writers of the times, ascribing all virtue to themselves, and imputing all guilt to their adversaries, have painted… — 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
As long as the same passions and interests subsist among mankind, the questions of war and peace, of justice and policy, which… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
Yet the people, and even the clergy, incapable of forming any rational judgment of the business of peace and war, presumed to… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The terror of the Roman arms added weight and dignity to the moderation of the emperors. They preserved the peace by a… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
So long as mankind shall continue to lavish more praise upon its destroyers than upon its benefactors war shall remain the chief… — 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
In less than seven years the vestiges of the Gothic invasion were almost obliterated, and the city appeared to resume its former… — Edward Gibbon Copy Share Image
The spectator and historian of [Belisarius's] exploits has observed, that amidst the perils of war, he was daring without rashness, prudent without… — 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
![“[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)
![“Inclined to peace by his temper and situation, it was easy for [Augustus] to discover that Rome, in her present exalted situation, had much less to hope than to fear from the chance of arms; and that, in the prosecution of remote wars, the undertaking became every day more difficult, the event…” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ee6/edward-gibbon-710_arms_inclined-to-peace-by-his-temper-and-situ_773110.jpg)
![“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.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d43/edward-gibbon-710_barbarians_but-the-arabs-friendship-was-venal-their_1636211.jpg)
![“[Peace] cannot be honorable or secure, if the sovereign betrays a pusillanimous aversion to war.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/05d/edward-gibbon-710_aversion_peace-cannot-be-honorable-or-secure-if-t_2550333.jpg)
![“The spectator and historian of [Belisarius's] exploits has observed, that amidst the perils of war, he was daring without rashness, prudent without fear, slow or rapid according to the exigencies of the moment; that in the deepest distress he was animated by real or apparent hope, but that he was…” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/56a/edward-gibbon-710_animated_the-spectator-and-historian-of-belisariu_2985677.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)
