--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is nothing grand or noble in having…" description: "\"There is nothing grand or noble in having the use of a slave, in so far as he is a slave; or in issuing commands about necessary things. But it is an e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a0/aristotle-78_command_there-is-nothing-grand-or-noble-in-havin_2210256.png" --- # There is nothing grand or noble in having the use of a… ![“There is nothing grand or noble in having the use of a slave, in so far as he is a slave; or in issuing commands about necessary things. But it is an error to suppose that every sort of rule is despotic like that of a master over slaves, for there is as great a difference between the rule over…” quote by Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a0/aristotle-78_command_there-is-nothing-grand-or-noble-in-havin_2210256.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a0/aristotle-78_command_there-is-nothing-grand-or-noble-in-havin_2210256.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a0/aristotle-78_command_there-is-nothing-grand-or-noble-in-havin_2210256.png) > “There is nothing grand or noble in having the use of a slave, in so far as he is a slave; or in issuing commands about necessary things. But it is an error to suppose that every sort of rule is despotic like that of a master over slaves, for there is as great a difference between the rule over freemen and the rule over slaves as there is between slavery by nature and freedom by nature . .” [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political authority differs; rule over free people is not as oppressive as slavery, emphasizing natural freedom versus forced servitude. **In simple terms:** Freedom and slavery are fundamentally different. Key Takeaway Recognize and protect natural freedom. Themes political theory freedom slavery authority Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - legislative debates - human rights advocacy - educational curricula Key Concepts natural law ethical governance Questions to Reflect On - What defines a just rule? - How do we ensure freedom in governance? A Different Perspective Not all hierarchies are equally unjust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Necessary things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-things/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Slaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slaves/) ## Related quotes > [“Denial of climate change and degradation of environment for the purpose of economic prosperity is humiliation and slavery of the nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/denial-of-climate-change-and-degradation-of-environment-for-the/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [The state of slavery is in its own nature bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-state-of-slavery-is-in-its-own-nature-bad/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Intellectual slavery, of whatever nature it may be, will always have as a natural result both political and social slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/intellectual-slavery-of-whatever-nature-it-may-be-will-always-have-as/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [Greatness, with private men Esteem'd a blessing, is to me a curse; And we, whom, for our high births, they conclude The happy freemen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-massinger/greatness-with-private-men-esteem-d-a-blessing-is-to-me-a-curse-and/) [Philip Massinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-massinger/) > [The time is now near at hand which must probably determine whether Americans are to be freemen or slaves; whether they are to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-time-is-now-near-at-hand-which-must-probably-determine-whether/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [He is the freeman whom the truth makes free, And all are slaves besides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/he-is-the-freeman-whom-the-truth-makes-free-and-all-are-slaves-besides/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [I would rather be a freeman among slaves than a slave among freemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-would-rather-be-a-freeman-among-slaves-than-a-slave-among-freemen/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [It has been well said that 'he who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.' 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One needs great courage not to portray this experience.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yevgeny-vakhtangov/the-first-state-an-actor-experiences-onstage-is-the-one-he-just/) Yevgeny Vakhtangov > [“...something can be a good thing and yet not a necessary thing. It is good for people to be expert at brain surgery. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-lee-austin/something-can-be-a-good-thing-and-yet-not-a-necessary-thing-it-is/) Victor Lee Austin ## More by Aristotle > [The knowledge of the soul admittedly contributes greatly to the advance of truth in general, and, above all, to our understanding of Nature, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-knowledge-of-the-soul-admittedly-contributes-greatly-to-the/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Young men have strong passions and tend to gratify them indiscriminately. Of the bodily desires, it is the sexual by which they are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/young-men-have-strong-passions-and-tend-to-gratify-them/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The body is at its best between the ages of thirty and thirty-five; the mind is at its best about the age of forty-nine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-body-is-at-its-best-between-the-ages-of-thirty-and-thirty-five/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The ensouled is distinguished from the unsouled by its being alive. 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But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [When you're in command, command.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/when-you-re-in-command-command/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [No one holds command over me. No man. No god. No Prince. What is a claim of age for ones who are immortal? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-one-holds-command-over-me-no-man-no-god-no-prince-what-is-a-claim/) [Hunter S. 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