--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am less affected by their heroism who…" description: "\"I am less affected by their heroism who stood up for half an hour in the front line at Buena Vista, than by the steady and cheerful valor of the men wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/henry-david-thoreau-20_affected_i-am-less-affected-by-their-heroism-who_2163036.jpg" --- # I am less affected by their heroism who stood up for half… ![“I am less affected by their heroism who stood up for half an hour in the front line at Buena Vista, than by the steady and cheerful valor of the men who inhabit the snow-plow for their winter quarters; who have not merely the three-o'-clock-in-the-morning courage, which Bonaparte thought was the…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/henry-david-thoreau-20_affected_i-am-less-affected-by-their-heroism-who_2163036.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/henry-david-thoreau-20_affected_i-am-less-affected-by-their-heroism-who_2163036.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/henry-david-thoreau-20_affected_i-am-less-affected-by-their-heroism-who_2163036.jpg) > “I am less affected by their heroism who stood up for half an hour in the front line at Buena Vista, than by the steady and cheerful valor of the men who inhabit the snow-plow for their winter quarters; who have not merely the three-o'-clock-in-the-morning courage, which Bonaparte thought was the rarest, but whose courage does not go to rest so early, who go to sleep only when the storm sleeps or the sinews of their iron steed are frozen.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Steady, everyday courage outweighs brief heroic acts; true valor persists through routine hardship. **In simple terms:** Consistent effort is more heroic than short bursts. Key Takeaway Value persistent, quiet strength. Themes courage perseverance everyday heroism nature Mood reflective inspirational Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - military service - manual labor - environmental work - personal discipline Key Concepts resilience humility steady effort Questions to Reflect On - What daily habits build lasting courage? - How do you honor quiet contributors? A Different Perspective Short heroics can inspire but may not sustain long-term change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bonaparte/) [Cheerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheerful/) [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Going to sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-to-sleep/) [Heroism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroism/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) [Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snow/) [Valor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valor/) [Vistas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vistas/) [Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winter/) [Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workers/) ## Related quotes > [The three-o'-clock in the morning courage, which Bonaparte thought was the rarest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-three-o-clock-in-the-morning-courage-which-bonaparte-thought-was/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Linnæus, setting out for Lapland, surveys his "comb" and "spare shirt," "leathern breeches" and "gauze cap to keep off gnats," with as much complacency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/linn-us-setting-out-for-lapland-surveys-his-comb-and-spare-shirt/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Never interfere with an enemy while he’s in the process of destroying himself.’ Napoleon Bonaparte”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/never-interfere-with-an-enemy-while-he-s-in-the-process-of-destroying/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [Political scientists have often described Gaullism as a sort of Bonapartism. I myself have occasionally compared Sarkozy to Napoleon Bonaparte.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-gallo/political-scientists-have-often-described-gaullism-as-a-sort-of/) [Max Gallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-gallo/) > [“Could it be that the great Bonaparte is incapable of fathering a child? that it is not I who am at fault but you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolly-erickson/could-it-be-that-the-great-bonaparte-is-incapable-of-fathering-a/) Carolly Erickson > [I always thought I was Jeanne d'Arc and Bonaparte. How little one knows oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/i-always-thought-i-was-jeanne-d-arc-and-bonaparte-how-little-one/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [It would scarcely be destruction," he replied gently. "Let us call it iconoclasm, the swallowing of formulas, which has always had its full retinue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buchan/it-would-scarcely-be-destruction-he-replied-gently-let-us-call-it/) [John Buchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buchan/) > [Anyone who clings to the historically untrue-and thoroughly immoral-doctrine that, 'violence never settles anything' I would advise to conjure the ghosts of Napoleon Bonaparte…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/anyone-who-clings-to-the-historically-untrue-and-thoroughly-immoral/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“but Bonaparte when he worked went step by step toward his goal. He was free, he had nothing but his aim to consider, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-bonaparte-when-he-worked-went-step-by-step-toward-his-goal-he-was/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our faith in democracy, personal freedoms and human 'rights', and the other comforting prescriptions of the humanist liberal credo stem from the supremacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-padfield/our-faith-in-democracy-personal-freedoms-and-human-rights-and-the/) [Peter Padfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-padfield/) > [Suppose someone sits down where you are sitting right now and announces to me that he is Napoleon Bonaparte. The last thing I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-solow/suppose-someone-sits-down-where-you-are-sitting-right-now-and/) [Robert Solow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-solow/) > [“By common consent the eminent man of the time was Napoleon Bonaparte, the revolution queller, the burgher sovereign, the imperial democrat, the supreme captain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-milligan-sloane/by-common-consent-the-eminent-man-of-the-time-was-napoleon-bonaparte/) William Milligan Sloane > [“The aggressor is always peace-loving (as Bonaparte always claimed to be); he would prefer to take over our country unopposed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-aggressor-is-always-peace-loving-as-bonaparte-always-claimed-to/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [“Amy wondered if Bonaparte could declare war on Miss Gwen alone without breaking his peace with England”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-willig/amy-wondered-if-bonaparte-could-declare-war-on-miss-gwen-alone/) [Lauren Willig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-willig/) > [Was it possible that Napoleon should win the battle of Waterloo? We answer, No! Why? Because of Wellington? Because of Blucher? No! Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/was-it-possible-that-napoleon-should-win-the-battle-of-waterloo-we/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Affected quotes > [To tell you the truth I am hard put to think of anyone who's career was affected significantly by making all those phone calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabney-coleman/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-am-hard-put-to-think-of-anyone-who-s-career/) [Dabney Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabney-coleman/) > [First, climate change is the greatest long-term threat faced by humanity. It could cause more human and financial suffering than the two world wars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/first-climate-change-is-the-greatest-long-term-threat-faced-by/) [David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/) > [Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well; for as a whole city is affected by the licentious passions and vices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/be-a-pattern-to-others-and-then-all-will-go-well-for-as-a-whole-city/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [At first I thought I would have to put on an English accent and try a sort of affected Shakespeare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/at-first-i-thought-i-would-have-to-put-on-an-english-accent-and-try-a/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [Every culture, if its natural development is not too much affected by political restrictions, experiences a perpetual renewal of the formative urge, and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-rocker/every-culture-if-its-natural-development-is-not-too-much-affected-by/) [Rudolf Rocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-rocker/) > [Don't show them that you are affected.. Instead, show them that you are happy even without them.. To put a sad face on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene05/don-t-show-them-that-you-are-affected-instead-show-them-that-you-are/) Sharlene05 > [I wish we could go back to the time when the private lives of our public figures were relevant only if they directly affected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-wish-we-could-go-back-to-the-time-when-the-private-lives-of-our/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [Don't be intimidated by people who seem to be experts. Hear their points of view and get their judgements. But at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/don-t-be-intimidated-by-people-who-seem-to-be-experts-hear-their/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Who what am I? My answer: I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/who-what-am-i-my-answer-i-am-the-sum-total-of-everything-that-went/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I have wondered why is it that some people are less affected and torn by the verities of life and death that others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-wondered-why-is-it-that-some-people-are-less-affected-and-torn/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Then, the other thing that affected my interest in choices growing up was the fact that I was going blind and that meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/then-the-other-thing-that-affected-my-interest-in-choices-growing-up/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [I don't think Wayne Rooney would be affected if you booed him, that's just how he is, but others go under. They really suffer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lampard/i-don-t-think-wayne-rooney-would-be-affected-if-you-booed-him-that-s/) [Frank Lampard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lampard/) > [I'm not good at standing on platforms and persuading people to my political point of view. Nor would I seek to. My gift is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/i-m-not-good-at-standing-on-platforms-and-persuading-people-to-my/) [David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/) > [I was trying to hold up a mirror to this country, to reflect the past years or so, and the varying degrees in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/said-sayrafiezadeh/i-was-trying-to-hold-up-a-mirror-to-this-country-to-reflect-the-past/) [Said Sayrafiezadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/said-sayrafiezadeh/) > [We know COVID-19 hasn't affected communities equally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/we-know-covid-19-hasn-t-affected-communities-equally/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) Browse all 1,050 Affected quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am less affected by their heroism who stood up for half an hour in the front line at Buena Vista, than by the steady and cheerful valor of the men who inhabit the snow-plow for their winter quarters; who have not merely the three-o'-clock-in-the-morning courage, which Bonaparte thought was the rarest, but whose courage does not go to rest so early, who go to sleep only when the storm sleeps or the sinews of their iron steed are frozen.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-less-affected-by-their-heroism-who-stood-up-for-half-an-hour-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affected" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-less-affected-by-their-heroism-who-stood-up-for-half-an-hour-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/henry-david-thoreau-20_affected_i-am-less-affected-by-their-heroism-who_2163036.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/henry-david-thoreau-20_affected_i-am-less-affected-by-their-heroism-who_2163036.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/henry-david-thoreau-20_affected_i-am-less-affected-by-their-heroism-who_2163036.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am less affected by their heroism who stood up for half an hour in the front line at Buena Vista, than by…” — Henry David Thoreau", "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": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am less affected by their...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-less-affected-by-their-heroism-who-stood-up-for-half-an-hour-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-less-affected-by-their-heroism-who-stood-up-for-half-an-hour-in/#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 } } ] } ```