--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Five or six hundred [aristocratic] heads…" description: "\"Five or six hundred [aristocratic] heads lopped off would have assured you repose and happiness; a false humanity has restrained your arm and suspended..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/jean-paul-marat-33448_aristocratic_five-or-six-hundred-aristocratic-heads-l_1994265.jpg" --- # Five or six hundred \[aristocratic\] heads lopped off would… ![“Five or six hundred [aristocratic] heads lopped off would have assured you repose and happiness; a false humanity has restrained your arm and suspended your blows; it will cost the lives of millions of your brothers.” quote by Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/jean-paul-marat-33448_aristocratic_five-or-six-hundred-aristocratic-heads-l_1994265.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/jean-paul-marat-33448_aristocratic_five-or-six-hundred-aristocratic-heads-l_1994265.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/jean-paul-marat-33448_aristocratic_five-or-six-hundred-aristocratic-heads-l_1994265.jpg) > “Five or six hundred \[aristocratic\] heads lopped off would have assured you repose and happiness; a false humanity has restrained your arm and suspended your blows; it will cost the lives of millions of your brothers.” [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violence against aristocracy is portrayed as necessary for peace, but it threatens massive loss of life among the populace. **In simple terms:** Violence claimed as peace causes many deaths. Key Takeaway Consider the human cost of violent solutions. Themes revolution violence morality politics human cost Mood anguished critical Type political historical When to use this quote - revolutionary movements - political decision making - humanitarian crises Key Concepts ethics political philosophy mass murder Questions to Reflect On - Is violent upheaval ever justified? - What alternatives exist to achieve peace? A Different Perspective Violence often escalates beyond intended targets, causing unintended suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aristocratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aristocratic/) [Arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) [Assured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assured/) [Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blow/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Cost Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost-lives-1001063/) [False Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-humanity-3473601/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Heads Lopped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heads-lopped-3473599/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humanity Restrained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity-restrained-3473600/) [Hundred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hundred/) [Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions/) [Millions Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions-brothers-1811962/) [Repose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repose/) [Six](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six/) [Suspended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspended/) [Your brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-brother/) ## Related quotes > [“They know that ten heads lopped off will destroy them, but we are a free people; we have as many heads as we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/they-know-that-ten-heads-lopped-off-will-destroy-them-but-we-are-a/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [When humility enters our souls, we are at last able to perceive that we do not live alone in the world but with millions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uell-stanley-andersen/when-humility-enters-our-souls-we-are-at-last-able-to-perceive-that/) [Uell Stanley Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uell-stanley-andersen/) > [I know I am--that simplest bliss The millions of my brothers miss. I know the fortune to be born, Even to the meanest wretch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/i-know-i-am-that-simplest-bliss-the-millions-of-my-brothers-miss-i/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) > [You nourish your minds by reading books. There is no good in doing that unless you hold it also as a sacrifice to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/you-nourish-your-minds-by-reading-books-there-is-no-good-in-doing/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Anytime you want to take time off from a job that millions of brothers work so hard to get here, that's not being humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jackson/anytime-you-want-to-take-time-off-from-a-job-that-millions-of/) [Stephen Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jackson/) > [We have to fight for something. It has to cost us. Our lives, our faith, have to cost us something; otherwise we're left to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/we-have-to-fight-for-something-it-has-to-cost-us-our-lives-our-faith/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [“But our mercy has a cost, and it might be our lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-aveyard/but-our-mercy-has-a-cost-and-it-might-be-our-lives/) [Victoria Aveyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-aveyard/) > [But there are too many people that make so much money at the cost of lives of other humans and for no reason but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/but-there-are-too-many-people-that-make-so-much-money-at-the-cost-of/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [Secrets keep addicts ill and cost lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-pinsky/secrets-keep-addicts-ill-and-cost-lives/) [Drew Pinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-pinsky/) > [“...and they lamented that it had cost them so much of their lives to find the paradise of shared solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/and-they-lamented-that-it-had-cost-them-so-much-of-their-lives-to/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [One main condition of aristocratic life was present in the South and not in the North--personal responsibility to other human beings for education and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/one-main-condition-of-aristocratic-life-was-present-in-the-south-and/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [It will be said that the joy of mental adventure must be rare, that there are few who can appreciate it, and that ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/it-will-be-said-that-the-joy-of-mental-adventure-must-be-rare-that/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Where there is no danger of overt action there is rarely any interference with freedom. That is why there has so often been amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/where-there-is-no-danger-of-overt-action-there-is-rarely-any/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [Aristocratic depression has this cosmic dimension to it, where it's asking these big questions about, "Why?" "What is the purpose of all this?" Neuroses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-douglas/aristocratic-depression-has-this-cosmic-dimension-to-it-where-it-s/) [Lawrence Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-douglas/) > [“I have an aristocratic smile and like to punch people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-have-an-aristocratic-smile-and-like-to-punch-people/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) ## More by Jean-Paul Marat > [“Don’t be deceived when they tell you things are better now. Even if there’s no poverty to be seen because the poverty’s been hidden.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/don-t-be-deceived-when-they-tell-you-things-are-better-now-even-if/) [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) > [Jacobins, I have a truth to tell you. You do not know your most deadly enemies; they are the constitutional priests. It is they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/jacobins-i-have-a-truth-to-tell-you-you-do-not-know-your-most-deadly/) [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) > [It is the height of stupidity to claim that men who for a thousand years have had the power to berate us, to fleece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/it-is-the-height-of-stupidity-to-claim-that-men-who-for-a-thousand/) [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) > [Five or six hundred heads cut off would have assured your repose, freedom and happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/five-or-six-hundred-heads-cut-off-would-have-assured-your-repose/) [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) > [How could liberty ever establish itself amongst us? Apart from a few tragic scenes, the revolution has been nothing but a web of farcical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/how-could-liberty-ever-establish-itself-amongst-us-apart-from-a-few/) [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) > [ \[We need\] someone bold, to put himself at the head of the disaffected and rally them against the oppressor. Some great character who could… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/we-need-someone-bold-to-put-himself-at-the-head-of-the-disaffected/) [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) > [It seems that the inevitable fate of man is never attain complete freedom: princes everywhere tend to despotism and the people to servitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/it-seems-that-the-inevitable-fate-of-man-is-never-attain-complete/) [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) > [In a few days, I will have them all guillotined in Paris.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/in-a-few-days-i-will-have-them-all-guillotined-in-paris/) [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) > [No, liberty is not made for us: we are too ignorant, too vain, too presumptious, too cowardly, too vile, too corrupt, too attached to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/no-liberty-is-not-made-for-us-we-are-too-ignorant-too-vain-too/) [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) > [Nothing will make me change my principles. Even with the knife at my neck I shall still declare, up to this day, the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/nothing-will-make-me-change-my-principles-even-with-the-knife-at-my/) [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) > [To form a truly free constitution, that's to say, truly just and wise, the first point, the main point, the capital point, is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/to-form-a-truly-free-constitution-that-s-to-say-truly-just-and-wise/) [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) > [God has always been hard on the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/god-has-always-been-hard-on-the-poor/) [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) > [Man has the right to deal with his oppressors by devouring their palpitating hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/man-has-the-right-to-deal-with-his-oppressors-by-devouring-their/) [Jean-Paul Marat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) [Explore all 14 Jean-Paul Marat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/) ## More Aristocratic quotes > [“I have an aristocratic smile and like to punch people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-have-an-aristocratic-smile-and-like-to-punch-people/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [Aristocratic depression has this cosmic dimension to it, where it's asking these big questions about, "Why?" "What is the purpose of all this?" Neuroses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-douglas/aristocratic-depression-has-this-cosmic-dimension-to-it-where-it-s/) [Lawrence Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-douglas/) > [Where there is no danger of overt action there is rarely any interference with freedom. That is why there has so often been amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/where-there-is-no-danger-of-overt-action-there-is-rarely-any/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [It will be said that the joy of mental adventure must be rare, that there are few who can appreciate it, and that ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/it-will-be-said-that-the-joy-of-mental-adventure-must-be-rare-that/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [One main condition of aristocratic life was present in the South and not in the North--personal responsibility to other human beings for education and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/one-main-condition-of-aristocratic-life-was-present-in-the-south-and/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [“The truth was that, with the Duchess de Luxembourg, with Mme de Morienval, Mme de Saint-Euverte and any number of others, the features that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/the-truth-was-that-with-the-duchess-de-luxembourg-with-mme-de/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [History is the most aristocratic of all literary pursuits, because it obliges the historian to be rich as well as educated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/history-is-the-most-aristocratic-of-all-literary-pursuits-because-it/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [I do keep getting these bad girl roles. The funny thing is that, honestly, I don't think I'm believable as these aristocratic mean girls.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgrath/i-do-keep-getting-these-bad-girl-roles-the-funny-thing-is-that/) [Katie McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgrath/) > [The old idea that the joke was not good enough for the company has been superseded by the new aristocratic idea that the company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-old-idea-that-the-joke-was-not-good-enough-for-the-company-has/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [“He admired her for throwing off her aristocratic shackles -- his terms, that -- and making her own way in the world. He didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-willig/he-admired-her-for-throwing-off-her-aristocratic-shackles-his-terms/) [Lauren Willig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-willig/) > [You are the only woman who has a sense of gaiety, a wise tolerance - no more, you seem to urge me to betray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/you-are-the-only-woman-who-has-a-sense-of-gaiety-a-wise-tolerance-no/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [When we consider the close connection between science and industrial development on the one hand, and between literary and aesthetic cultivation and an aristocratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/when-we-consider-the-close-connection-between-science-and-industrial/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Though, with the ascendancy of Louis, the political power of the nobles finally came to an end, France remained, in the whole complexion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lytton-strachey/though-with-the-ascendancy-of-louis-the-political-power-of-the-nobles/) [Lytton Strachey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lytton-strachey/) > [In aristocratic societies, rich people used to commission exquisite paintings for their walls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-holland/in-aristocratic-societies-rich-people-used-to-commission-exquisite/) [Brad Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-holland/) > [Politics of all sorts, I confess, are far beyond my limited powers of comprehension. Those of this country as far as I have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-kemble/politics-of-all-sorts-i-confess-are-far-beyond-my-limited-powers-of/) [Fanny Kemble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-kemble/) [Browse all 99 Aristocratic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aristocratic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Five or six hundred [aristocratic] heads lopped off would have assured you repose and happiness; a false humanity has restrained your arm and suspended your blows; it will cost the lives of millions of your brothers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean-Paul Marat" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/five-or-six-hundred-aristocratic-heads-lopped-off-would-have-assured/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aristocratic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/five-or-six-hundred-aristocratic-heads-lopped-off-would-have-assured/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/jean-paul-marat-33448_aristocratic_five-or-six-hundred-aristocratic-heads-l_1994265.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/jean-paul-marat-33448_aristocratic_five-or-six-hundred-aristocratic-heads-l_1994265.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e14/jean-paul-marat-33448_aristocratic_five-or-six-hundred-aristocratic-heads-l_1994265.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Five or six hundred [aristocratic] heads lopped off would have assured you repose and happiness; a false…” — Jean-Paul Marat", "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": "Jean-Paul Marat", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-marat/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Five or six hundred [aristocratic] heads...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/five-or-six-hundred-aristocratic-heads-lopped-off-would-have-assured/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-marat/five-or-six-hundred-aristocratic-heads-lopped-off-would-have-assured/#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 } } ] } ```