Believe Quote by Cardinal Richelieu

The universe has no prince or king that it [Rome] would consider equal to its humblest citizen.

— Pierre Corneille

“frequent phenomenon in history: the republic whose ruler has every attribute of the absolute monarch but the name. It therefore enjoyed the usual despotism…

— Isaac Asimov

Such is the caprice of Romans... who reject kings in name but not in practice, and accept an Emperor mightier than a hundred kings.

— Pierre Corneille

To resume, in a few words, the system of the Imperial government, as it was instituted by Augustus, and maintained by those princes who…

— Edward Gibbon

There is a peculiar contradiction in trying to be a member of a republic while believing that the universe is a monarchy.

— Alan Watts

No emperor has the power to dictate to the heart.

— Friedrich Schiller

“In the highest antiquity, (the people) did not know that there were (their rulers).”

— Lao Tzu

No empire stands tall on the account of its king. But, on the unity of its people & council. Together we stand, divided we fall.

— Sirivi

The best of all rulers is but a shadowy presence to his subjects.

— Laozi

“this period, they alone could elect the political officials of the Roman state; no matter how blue-blooded you were, you could only hold office…

— Mary Beard

“The power of a king was not absolute, after all: it could be restrained by the will of the people.”

— Ken Follett

“. . .for the designated successor to royal authority, the Sovereign People, was no more capable than Louis XVI of reconciling freedom with power.”

— Simon Schama