--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There may be a hundred thousand men in an…" description: "\"There may be a hundred thousand men in an army, who are all equally free; but they only are naturally most fit to be commanders or leaders, who most ex..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee2/algernon-sidney-20606_army_there-may-be-a-hundred-thousand-men-in-a_2991239.jpg" --- # There may be a hundred thousand men in an army, who are… ![“There may be a hundred thousand men in an army, who are all equally free; but they only are naturally most fit to be commanders or leaders, who most excel in the virtues required for the right performance of those offices.” quote by Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee2/algernon-sidney-20606_army_there-may-be-a-hundred-thousand-men-in-a_2991239.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee2/algernon-sidney-20606_army_there-may-be-a-hundred-thousand-men-in-a_2991239.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee2/algernon-sidney-20606_army_there-may-be-a-hundred-thousand-men-in-a_2991239.jpg) > “There may be a hundred thousand men in an army, who are all equally free; but they only are naturally most fit to be commanders or leaders, who most excel in the virtues required for the right performance of those offices.” [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leadership is best suited to those naturally possessing the virtues needed for effective command. **In simple terms:** Leaders need natural virtue. Key Takeaway Cultivate virtue for leadership. Themes leadership virtue government military authority Mood serious reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - military command - political office - organizational leadership Key Concepts natural talent political philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - What virtues are essential for modern leaders? - How can societies identify natural leaders? A Different Perspective Virtue alone may not guarantee competence without experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Army Equally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army-equally-4701549/) [Commanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commanders/) [Fit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fit/) [Fit Commanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fit-commanders-4701551/) [Hundred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hundred/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leaders Excel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaders-excel-4701550/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-army-2324503/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) [Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand/) [Thousand Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-men-546053/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [“In a case such as this, unless an entire army is available, the safest number of men will be one. We have no army,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-sager/in-a-case-such-as-this-unless-an-entire-army-is-available-the-safest/) [Nicole Sager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-sager/) > [We cannot distinguish truth from falsehood, right from wrong, or know what obedience we owe to the magistrate, or what we may justly expect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/we-cannot-distinguish-truth-from-falsehood-right-from-wrong-or-know/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) > [A hero is born among a hundred, a wise man is found among a thousand, but an accomplished one might not be found even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/a-hero-is-born-among-a-hundred-a-wise-man-is-found-among-a-thousand/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“The country was so vast, of course, that one or a hundred or a thousand men could have very little effect. And how, anyway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-fisher/the-country-was-so-vast-of-course-that-one-or-a-hundred-or-a-thousand/) [Karen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-fisher/) > [And where is the Prince who can afford to so cover his country with troops for its defense, as that ten thousand men descending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/and-where-is-the-prince-who-can-afford-to-so-cover-his-country-with/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“I’d let his whole khalasar fuck you if need be, sweet sister, all forty thousand men and their horses too if that was what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-d-let-his-whole-khalasar-fuck-you-if-need-be-sweet-sister-all-forty/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [A hundred thousand men were led By one calf near three centuries dead; They followed still his crooked way And lost a hundred years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walter-foss/a-hundred-thousand-men-were-led-by-one-calf-near-three-centuries-dead/) [Sam Walter Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walter-foss/) > [A man's a man. But when you see a king, you see the work of many thousand men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/a-man-s-a-man-but-when-you-see-a-king-you-see-the-work-of-many/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Though he should conquer a thousand men in the battlefield a thousand times, yet he, indeed, who would conquer himself is the noblest victor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/though-he-should-conquer-a-thousand-men-in-the-battlefield-a-thousand/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ten thousand men possess ten thousand hopes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/ten-thousand-men-possess-ten-thousand-hopes/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [A bloody and complete victory has sometimes yielded no more than the possession of the field and the loss of ten thousand men has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/a-bloody-and-complete-victory-has-sometimes-yielded-no-more-than-the/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [The Grand Old Duke of York He had ten thousand men. His case comes up next week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/the-grand-old-duke-of-york-he-had-ten-thousand-men-his-case-comes-up/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [Where, where was Roderick then? One blast upon his bugle horn Were worth a thousand men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/where-where-was-roderick-then-one-blast-upon-his-bugle-horn-were/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [“Another said , "I don't ask six months, I don't ask two. In less than two weeks we'll meet the government face to face.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/another-said-i-don-t-ask-six-months-i-don-t-ask-two-in-less-than-two/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“At every crossway on the road that leads to the future, each progressive spirit is opposed by a thousand men appointed to guard the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/at-every-crossway-on-the-road-that-leads-to-the-future-each/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) ## More by Algernon Sidney > [If vice and corruption prevail, liberty cannot subsist; but if virtue have the advantage, arbitrary power cannot be established.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/if-vice-and-corruption-prevail-liberty-cannot-subsist-but-if-virtue/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) > [Machiavel, discoursing on these matters, finds virtue to be so essentially necessary to the establishment and preservation of liberty, that he thinks it impossible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/machiavel-discoursing-on-these-matters-finds-virtue-to-be-so/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) > [Men lived like fishes; the great ones devoured the small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/men-lived-like-fishes-the-great-ones-devoured-the-small/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) > [ \[A\]ll popular and well-mixed governments \[republics\] . . . are ever established by wise and good men, and can never be upheld otherwise than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/a-ll-popular-and-well-mixed-governments-republics-are-ever/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) > [Everyone sees they cannot well live asunder, nor many together, without some rule to which all must submit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/everyone-sees-they-cannot-well-live-asunder-nor-many-together-without/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) > [For violence or fraud can create no right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/for-violence-or-fraud-can-create-no-right/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) > [It is not necessary to light a candle to the sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/it-is-not-necessary-to-light-a-candle-to-the-sun/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) > [Many things are unknown to the wisest, and the best men can never wholly divest themselves of passions and affections... nothing can or ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/many-things-are-unknown-to-the-wisest-and-the-best-men-can-never/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) > [If his Majesty is resolved to have my head, he may make a whistle of my arse if he pleases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/if-his-majesty-is-resolved-to-have-my-head-he-may-make-a-whistle-of/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) > [Violence and fraud can create no right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/violence-and-fraud-can-create-no-right/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) > [That which is not just, is not Law; and that which is not Law, ought not to be obeyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/that-which-is-not-just-is-not-law-and-that-which-is-not-law-ought-not/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) > [ \[L\]iberty cannot be preserved, if the manners of the people are corrupted . . . ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/l-iberty-cannot-be-preserved-if-the-manners-of-the-people-are/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) > [Liberty cannot be preserved, if the manners of the people are corrupted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/liberty-cannot-be-preserved-if-the-manners-of-the-people-are-corrupted/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) > [Liars need to have good memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/liars-need-to-have-good-memories/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) > [ \[I\]f vice and corruption prevail, liberty cannot subsist; but if virtue have the advantage, arbitrary power cannot be established. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/i-f-vice-and-corruption-prevail-liberty-cannot-subsist-but-if-virtue/) [Algernon Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) [Explore all 30 Algernon Sidney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [I just read an article about how young American males feel uncomfortable appearing naked in front of each other in locker rooms. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ivory/i-just-read-an-article-about-how-young-american-males-feel/) [James Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ivory/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“The most important lesson that came out of Vietnam for me was that Marines take care of Marines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-most-important-lesson-that-came-out-of-vietnam-for-me-was-that/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. 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Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) [Browse all 3,919 Army quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There may be a hundred thousand men in an army, who are all equally free; but they only are naturally most fit to be commanders or leaders, who most excel in the virtues required for the right performance of those offices.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Algernon Sidney" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/there-may-be-a-hundred-thousand-men-in-an-army-who-are-all-equally/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Army" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/there-may-be-a-hundred-thousand-men-in-an-army-who-are-all-equally/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee2/algernon-sidney-20606_army_there-may-be-a-hundred-thousand-men-in-a_2991239.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee2/algernon-sidney-20606_army_there-may-be-a-hundred-thousand-men-in-a_2991239.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee2/algernon-sidney-20606_army_there-may-be-a-hundred-thousand-men-in-a_2991239.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There may be a hundred thousand men in an army, who are all equally free; but they only are naturally most…” — Algernon Sidney", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Algernon Sidney", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-sidney/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There may be a hundred thousand...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/there-may-be-a-hundred-thousand-men-in-an-army-who-are-all-equally/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-sidney/there-may-be-a-hundred-thousand-men-in-an-army-who-are-all-equally/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```