--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Greatness has its beauties, but only in…" description: "\"“Greatness has its beauties, but only in retrospect and in the imagination\": thus wrote General Bonaparte to General Moreau in 1800. His observation he..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/974/j-christopher-herold-30177_empty-places_greatness-has-its-beauties-but-only-in-r_201531.jpg" --- # Greatness has its beauties, but only in retrospect and in… ![“Greatness has its beauties, but only in retrospect and in the imagination": thus wrote General Bonaparte to General Moreau in 1800. His observation helps to explain why the world, only a few years after sighing with relief at its delivery from the ogre, began to worship him as the greatest man of…” quote by J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/974/j-christopher-herold-30177_empty-places_greatness-has-its-beauties-but-only-in-r_201531.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/974/j-christopher-herold-30177_empty-places_greatness-has-its-beauties-but-only-in-r_201531.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/974/j-christopher-herold-30177_empty-places_greatness-has-its-beauties-but-only-in-r_201531.jpg) > ““Greatness has its beauties, but only in retrospect and in the imagination": thus wrote General Bonaparte to General Moreau in 1800. His observation helps to explain why the world, only a few years after sighing with relief at its delivery from the ogre, began to worship him as the greatest man of modern times. Napoleon had barely left the scene when the fifteen years that he had carved out of world history to create his glory seemed scarcely believable. Only the scars of the war veterans and the empty places in the widows' beds seemed to attest to the reality of those years, and time soon eliminated even these silent witnesses. What remained, in retrospect and in the imagination, was legend and symbol.”” [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical figures become legends when memory reshapes reality, blending fact and imagination. **In simple terms:** History turns people into myths. Key Takeaway Recognize myth vs. fact. Themes history memory mythmaking Mood critical thoughtful Type historical analytical When to use this quote - education - media analysis - political rhetoric - cultural studies Key Concepts historical narrative collective memory Questions to Reflect On - What narratives shape our view of leaders? - How does imagination alter historical truth? A Different Perspective Myths can obscure accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Empty places](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empty-places/) [Fifteen years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fifteen-years/) [Modern times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-times/) [Napoleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/napoleon/) [World history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-history/) ## Related quotes > [“Kléber—who shared Dumas’s opinion of Napoleon—memorably summed up his command by stating that Bonaparte was “the General who costs 10,000 men a month.” Kléber…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-reiss/kl-ber-who-shared-dumas-s-opinion-of-napoleon-memorably-summed-up-his/) [Tom Reiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-reiss/) > [“nature hates a vacuum and strange things are drawn into empty places; sometimes oddities survive where nothing else can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-johnson/nature-hates-a-vacuum-and-strange-things-are-drawn-into-empty-places/) [Craig Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-johnson/) > [“Love is like mud. Only as strong as the shape you give it. Love is like paint. It can color over all the empty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-keener/love-is-like-mud-only-as-strong-as-the-shape-you-give-it-love-is-like/) Rachel Keener > [“If I could talk about it, I would not have to do it. I make art, sometimes I make true art, and sometimes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/if-i-could-talk-about-it-i-would-not-have-to-do-it-i-make-art-2/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What we look for is not to fill empty places with children, but to fill empty children with a good place to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-sosa/what-we-look-for-is-not-to-fill-empty-places-with-children-but-to/) Eduardo Sosa > [We stare at broken clocks, the hands don't turn anymore The days turn into nights, empty hearts and empty places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevinterribly/we-stare-at-broken-clocks-the-hands-don-t-turn-anymore-the-days-turn/) KevinTerribly > [“This small woman filled the empty places inside him, made him feel whole again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/this-small-woman-filled-the-empty-places-inside-him-made-him-feel/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [“It's not what happens to us, it's how we respond. Being broken, being empty is part of life. But how we fill up those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-may-warren/it-s-not-what-happens-to-us-it-s-how-we-respond-being-broken-being/) [Susan May Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-may-warren/) > [There is an empty place within me where my heart once was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/there-is-an-empty-place-within-me-where-my-heart-once-was/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [“We spend our lives trying to fill the empty places in our souls that lobe never got to, where there wasn't enough water to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/we-spend-our-lives-trying-to-fill-the-empty-places-in-our-souls-that/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [If I could talk about it, I would not have to do it. I make art, sometimes I make true art, and sometimes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/if-i-could-talk-about-it-i-would-not-have-to-do-it-i-make-art/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“It didn’t matter. I loved him. I loved him so much that I couldn’t see anything else for a while. Danny filled the cracks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-garvey/it-didn-t-matter-i-loved-him-i-loved-him-so-much-that-i-couldn-t-see/) [Amy Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-garvey/) > [“Somehow it seemed as though the journey through the sea had washed my heart of bitterness toward her and filled the empty places with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connilyn-cossette/somehow-it-seemed-as-though-the-journey-through-the-sea-had-washed-my/) [Connilyn Cossette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connilyn-cossette/) > [People in big empty places are likely to behave very much as the gods did on Olympus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/people-in-big-empty-places-are-likely-to-behave-very-much-as-the-gods/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [“ Toquet , it is well, little one. It is finished, eh?” She panted, tossing her head. “It h-hurts!” “It will pass,” he assured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/toquet-it-is-well-little-one-it-is-finished-eh-she-panted-tossing-her/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) ## More by J. Christopher Herold > [Napoleon, who had an aversion to the moral laxity of the eighteenth century, which he blamed on the domination of society by women, was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/napoleon-who-had-an-aversion-to-the-moral-laxity-of-the-eighteenth/) [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) > [The Allies had made war on Napoleon as a tyrant and an oppressor of nations; yet once they had got him out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/the-allies-had-made-war-on-napoleon-as-a-tyrant-and-an-oppressor-of/) [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) > [“Just as Napoleon was the sole authority in the state, so the husband and father was to exercise authority over his family. Unfortunately the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/just-as-napoleon-was-the-sole-authority-in-the-state-so-the-husband/) [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) > [Those who mistake their good luck for their merit are inevitably bound for disaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/those-who-mistake-their-good-luck-for-their-merit-are-inevitably/) [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) > [ “The popular image \[in England\] of Bonaparte as a blood-stained tyrant and bandit was admittedly exaggerated, but instinct told even the most radical among… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/the-popular-image-in-england-of-bonaparte-as-a-blood-stained-tyrant/) [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) > [ His \[Pitt's\] successor as prime minister was Mr. Addington, who was a friend of Mr. Pitt, just as Mr. Pitt was a friend of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/his-pitt-s-successor-as-prime-minister-was-mr-addington-who-was-a/) [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) > [There is, of course, nothing wrong in a program that aims to please everybody, except that as a rule it is a prelude to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/there-is-of-course-nothing-wrong-in-a-program-that-aims-to-please/) [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) > [The Allies had made war on Napoleon as a tyrant and an oppressor of nations; yet once they had him out of the way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/the-allies-had-made-war-on-napoleon-as-a-tyrant-and-an-oppressor-of-2/) [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) > [“The right-wing Tories and the conservative Whigs fought Napoleon as the Usurper and the Enemy of the Established Order; the liberal Tories and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/the-right-wing-tories-and-the-conservative-whigs-fought-napoleon-as/) [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) > [“Historians are lenient to those who succeed and stern to those who fail; in this, and this alone, they display strong political sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/historians-are-lenient-to-those-who-succeed-and-stern-to-those-who/) [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) > [“The English soldier was probably the worst-treated soldier in Europe, and judging from the English casualty rates during the Napoleonic wars, English generals were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/the-english-soldier-was-probably-the-worst-treated-soldier-in-europe/) [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) > [A collective insanity seemed to have seized the nation and turned them into something worse than beasts. The princess de Lamballe, Marie Antoinette's intimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/a-collective-insanity-seemed-to-have-seized-the-nation-and-turned/) [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) > [“Napoleon loved only himself, but, unlike Hitler, he hated nobody.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/napoleon-loved-only-himself-but-unlike-hitler-he-hated-nobody/) [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) > [“Madame Tallien shared honors with Josephine Beauharnais in being mistress to Barras, an ex-nobleman and ex-terrorist whose appetite for beautiful women, beautiful young men,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/madame-tallien-shared-honors-with-josephine-beauharnais-in-being/) [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) > [“The war against Napoleon was won not by England but by Russia, Austria, and Prussia; but England won the last battle and she won…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-christopher-herold/the-war-against-napoleon-was-won-not-by-england-but-by-russia-austria/) [J. Christopher Herold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) [Explore all 17 J. Christopher Herold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-christopher-herold/) ## More Empty places quotes > [“ Toquet , it is well, little one. It is finished, eh?” She panted, tossing her head. “It h-hurts!” “It will pass,” he assured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/toquet-it-is-well-little-one-it-is-finished-eh-she-panted-tossing-her/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [People in big empty places are likely to behave very much as the gods did on Olympus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/people-in-big-empty-places-are-likely-to-behave-very-much-as-the-gods/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [“Somehow it seemed as though the journey through the sea had washed my heart of bitterness toward her and filled the empty places with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connilyn-cossette/somehow-it-seemed-as-though-the-journey-through-the-sea-had-washed-my/) [Connilyn Cossette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connilyn-cossette/) > [“It didn’t matter. I loved him. I loved him so much that I couldn’t see anything else for a while. Danny filled the cracks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-garvey/it-didn-t-matter-i-loved-him-i-loved-him-so-much-that-i-couldn-t-see/) [Amy Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-garvey/) > [If I could talk about it, I would not have to do it. I make art, sometimes I make true art, and sometimes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/if-i-could-talk-about-it-i-would-not-have-to-do-it-i-make-art/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“We spend our lives trying to fill the empty places in our souls that lobe never got to, where there wasn't enough water to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/we-spend-our-lives-trying-to-fill-the-empty-places-in-our-souls-that/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [There is an empty place within me where my heart once was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/there-is-an-empty-place-within-me-where-my-heart-once-was/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [“It's not what happens to us, it's how we respond. Being broken, being empty is part of life. But how we fill up those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-may-warren/it-s-not-what-happens-to-us-it-s-how-we-respond-being-broken-being/) [Susan May Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-may-warren/) > [“This small woman filled the empty places inside him, made him feel whole again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/this-small-woman-filled-the-empty-places-inside-him-made-him-feel/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [We stare at broken clocks, the hands don't turn anymore The days turn into nights, empty hearts and empty places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevinterribly/we-stare-at-broken-clocks-the-hands-don-t-turn-anymore-the-days-turn/) KevinTerribly > [What we look for is not to fill empty places with children, but to fill empty children with a good place to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-sosa/what-we-look-for-is-not-to-fill-empty-places-with-children-but-to/) Eduardo Sosa > [“If I could talk about it, I would not have to do it. I make art, sometimes I make true art, and sometimes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/if-i-could-talk-about-it-i-would-not-have-to-do-it-i-make-art-2/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Love is like mud. Only as strong as the shape you give it. Love is like paint. It can color over all the empty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-keener/love-is-like-mud-only-as-strong-as-the-shape-you-give-it-love-is-like/) Rachel Keener > [“nature hates a vacuum and strange things are drawn into empty places; sometimes oddities survive where nothing else can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-johnson/nature-hates-a-vacuum-and-strange-things-are-drawn-into-empty-places/) [Craig Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-johnson/) > [The heart's affections are divided like the branches of the cedar tree; if the tree loses one strong branch; it will suffer but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/the-heart-s-affections-are-divided-like-the-branches-of-the-cedar/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) [Browse all 38 Empty places quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empty-places/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Greatness has its beauties, but only in retrospect and in the imagination\": thus wrote General Bonaparte to General Moreau in 1800. 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