--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Luxurious kings are to their people lost…" description: "\"Luxurious kings are to their people lost, They live like drones, upon the public cost.\" — John Dryden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db5/john-dryden-491_cost_luxurious-kings-are-to-their-people-lost_2624365.jpg" --- # Luxurious kings are to their people lost, They live like… ![“Luxurious kings are to their people lost, They live like drones, upon the public cost.” quote by John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db5/john-dryden-491_cost_luxurious-kings-are-to-their-people-lost_2624365.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db5/john-dryden-491_cost_luxurious-kings-are-to-their-people-lost_2624365.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db5/john-dryden-491_cost_luxurious-kings-are-to-their-people-lost_2624365.jpg) > “Luxurious kings are to their people lost, They live like drones, upon the public cost.” [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Powerful leaders neglect their people, treating them as expendable resources. **In simple terms:** Leaders ignore the cost to their people. Key Takeaway Prioritize people over profit. Themes leadership exploitation social responsibility Mood critical thoughtful Type political When to use this quote - political policy - corporate decisions - community impact Key Concepts ethical governance human cost Questions to Reflect On - How does neglect affect societal trust? - What responsibilities do leaders have? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex power dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Drones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drones/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Kings People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings-people-1342393/) [Like Drones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-drones-2136750/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Luxurious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxurious/) [Luxurious Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxurious-kings-2136749/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-lost/) ## Related quotes > [“We shy are like drones. No need to explain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-silva/we-shy-are-like-drones-no-need-to-explain/) [Rene Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-silva/) > [“These were stone-cold men trained to kill—not with heart and fire and fury, not with the joy of glorious battle, but as a single,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/these-were-stone-cold-men-trained-to-kill-not-with-heart-and-fire-and/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“We are kings who represent the King of kings to the people of the earth. That is our ministry of reconciliation. But we also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-law/we-are-kings-who-represent-the-king-of-kings-to-the-people-of-the/) [Terry Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-law/) > [Not kings alone--the people, too, have their flatterers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-de-riqueti-marquis-de-mirabeau/not-kings-alone-the-people-too-have-their-flatterers/) [Victor de Riqueti, marquis de Mirabeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-de-riqueti-marquis-de-mirabeau/) > [The courts of kings are full of people, but empty of friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-elder/the-courts-of-kings-are-full-of-people-but-empty-of-friends/) [Seneca the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-elder/) > [People have lost their faith that if they work hard, if they try to get ahead, if they play by the rules, then that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/people-have-lost-their-faith-that-if-they-work-hard-if-they-try-to/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [Nigel Farage has persuaded too many people that we have lost control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/nigel-farage-has-persuaded-too-many-people-that-we-have-lost-control/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [“I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for the people I had met and the people I had lost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-a-thompson/i-wouldn-t-be-who-i-am-today-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-people-i-had-met/) [Shannon A. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-a-thompson/) > [“I don't think people find themselves until they're lost. Only then does their journey begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-franta/i-don-t-think-people-find-themselves-until-they-re-lost-only-then/) [Connor Franta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-franta/) > [People could not get enough of what they had lost, even if they no longer wanted it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/people-could-not-get-enough-of-what-they-had-lost-even-if-they-no/) [Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/) > [“all people are lost, to varying degrees. I suspected that it’s only when we love others—through purpose, friendship, romance, or any combination thereof—that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-reid/all-people-are-lost-to-varying-degrees-i-suspected-that-it-s-only/) [Penny Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-reid/) > [A lot of people has lost their lives due to indiscipline on the roads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arvind-kejriwal/a-lot-of-people-has-lost-their-lives-due-to-indiscipline-on-the-roads/) [Arvind Kejriwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arvind-kejriwal/) > [“Ah, if more people became lost in their thoughts, half of them would find something they hadn't realized they were looking for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-aldertree-pirate-maiden/ah-if-more-people-became-lost-in-their-thoughts-half-of-them-would/) [Gregory Aldertree (Pirate Maiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-aldertree-pirate-maiden/) > [The only people who ever get anyplace interesting are the people who get lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-only-people-who-ever-get-anyplace-interesting-are-the-people-who/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Too many people get lost in the game of having a good time and being naive about things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-brown/too-many-people-get-lost-in-the-game-of-having-a-good-time-and-being/) [Steve Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-brown/) ## More by John Dryden > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Trust on and think To-morrow will repay; To-morrow's falser than the former day; Lies worse; and while it says, we shall be blest With…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/trust-on-and-think-to-morrow-will-repay-to-morrow-s-falser-than-the/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [To take up half on trust, and half to try, Name it not faith but bungling bigotry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/to-take-up-half-on-trust-and-half-to-try-name-it-not-faith-but/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Among our crimes oblivion may be set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/among-our-crimes-oblivion-may-be-set/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [And after hearing what our Church can say, If still our reason runs another way, That private reason 'tis more just to curb, Than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/and-after-hearing-what-our-church-can-say-if-still-our-reason-runs/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Happy, happy, happy pair! None but the brave deserves the fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/happy-happy-happy-pair-none-but-the-brave-deserves-the-fair/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [A coward is the kindest animal; 'Tis the most forgiving creature in a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/a-coward-is-the-kindest-animal-tis-the-most-forgiving-creature-in-a/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [God never made his work for man to mend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/god-never-made-his-work-for-man-to-mend/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Reason to rule, mercy to forgive: The first is law, the last prerogative. Life is an adventure in forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/reason-to-rule-mercy-to-forgive-the-first-is-law-the-last-prerogative/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Stiff opinion, always in the wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/stiff-opinion-always-in-the-wrong/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [He with a graceful pride, While his rider every hand survey'd, Sprung loose, and flew into an escapade; Not moving forward, yet with every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/he-with-a-graceful-pride-while-his-rider-every-hand-survey-d-sprung/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Men's virtues I have commended as freely as I have taxed their crimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/men-s-virtues-i-have-commended-as-freely-as-i-have-taxed-their-crimes/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Virtue without success is a fair picture shown by an ill light; but lucky men are favorites of heaven; all own the chief, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/virtue-without-success-is-a-fair-picture-shown-by-an-ill-light-but/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Zeal, the blind conductor of the will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/zeal-the-blind-conductor-of-the-will/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [“Night came, but unattended with repose. Alone she came, no sleep their eyes to close. Alone and black she came; no friendly stars arose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/night-came-but-unattended-with-repose-alone-she-came-no-sleep-their/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) [Explore all 520 John Dryden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) ## More Cost quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) [Jessica Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-yu/) > [ \[Photography is \] likewise even French impressionists. So the Sculls bought pop. It was politics, and they moved with it. And I think that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/photography-is-likewise-even-french-impressionists-so-the-sculls/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [What has drug addiction done for me? It's cost me my career, my fortune and basically my sex life when I found out I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbin-crosby/what-has-drug-addiction-done-for-me-it-s-cost-me-my-career-my-fortune/) [Robbin Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbin-crosby/) > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I believe that government is too large, costs too much, spends too much, and has too much regulatory power in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-walberg/i-believe-that-government-is-too-large-costs-too-much-spends-too-much/) [Tim Walberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-walberg/) > [One reason for the tremendous increase in health-care costs in the U.S. is managerial neglect of the "hotel services" by the people who dominate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/one-reason-for-the-tremendous-increase-in-health-care-costs-in-the-u/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [They brought on someone who cost more than our stadium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-rodgers/they-brought-on-someone-who-cost-more-than-our-stadium/) [Brendan Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-rodgers/) > [When the government pays, health care's lack of affordability becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. In health care, as in other things, government is the high-cost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-kling/when-the-government-pays-health-care-s-lack-of-affordability-becomes/) [Arnold Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-kling/) > [“In your goals to go the extra mile, prepare to pay an extra cost. Excellence is to be exceptional, surpassing, more competent and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/in-your-goals-to-go-the-extra-mile-prepare-to-pay-an-extra-cost/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The term 'cost shifting,' as I use it, refers to those items in a university's budget that used to be reimbursed by the federal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-term-cost-shifting-as-i-use-it-refers-to-those-items-in-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Beauty's a doubtful good, a glass, a flower, Lost, faded, broken, dead within an hour; And beauty, blemish'd once, for ever's lost, In spite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/beauty-s-a-doubtful-good-a-glass-a-flower-lost-faded-broken-dead/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Browse all 3,987 Cost quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Luxurious kings are to their people lost, They live like drones, upon the public cost.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Dryden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/luxurious-kings-are-to-their-people-lost-they-live-like-drones-upon/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cost" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/luxurious-kings-are-to-their-people-lost-they-live-like-drones-upon/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db5/john-dryden-491_cost_luxurious-kings-are-to-their-people-lost_2624365.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db5/john-dryden-491_cost_luxurious-kings-are-to-their-people-lost_2624365.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db5/john-dryden-491_cost_luxurious-kings-are-to-their-people-lost_2624365.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Luxurious kings are to their people lost, They live like drones, upon the public cost.” — John Dryden", "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": "John Dryden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Luxurious kings are to their people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/luxurious-kings-are-to-their-people-lost-they-live-like-drones-upon/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/luxurious-kings-are-to-their-people-lost-they-live-like-drones-upon/#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 } } ] } ```