Happy man Quote by H.G. Wells
““And seeing all the Hellespont covered over with the ships and all the shores and the plains of Abydos full of men, then Xerxes pronounced himself a happy man, and after that he fell to weeping. Artabanus, his uncle, therefore perceiving him the same who at first boldly declared his opinion advising Xerxes not to march against Hellas-this man, I say, having observed that Xerxes wept, asked as follows: 'O king, how far different from one another are the things which thou hast done now and a short while before now! for having pronounced thyself a happy man, thou art now shedding tears.' He said : 'Yea, for after I had reckoned up, it came into my mind to feel pity at the thought how brief was the whole life of man, seeing that of these multitudes not one will be alive when a hundred years have gone by.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The History of the World, 1922
Xerxes shifts from triumph to sorrow after realizing life's brevity and the futility of power.
In simple terms: He feels pity for humanity's short life after boasting.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the fleeting nature of success.
Themes
humility
mortality
power
reflection
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
philosophical
historical
When to use this quote
- military conquest
- political leadership
- personal introspection
- historical analysis
Key Concepts
existentialism
impermanence
hubris
Questions to Reflect On
- What does true happiness look like?
- How does power affect self‑perception?
A Different Perspective
The quote may romanticize suffering as noble.
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