--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Neither prosperity nor empire nor heaven…" description: "\"Neither prosperity nor empire nor heaven can be worth winning at the price of a virulent temper, bloody hands, an anguished spirit, and a vain hatred o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/john-milton-191_bloody_neither-prosperity-nor-empire-nor-heaven_324760.png" --- # Neither prosperity nor empire nor heaven can be worth… ![“Neither prosperity nor empire nor heaven can be worth winning at the price of a virulent temper, bloody hands, an anguished spirit, and a vain hatred of the rest of the world.” quote by John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/john-milton-191_bloody_neither-prosperity-nor-empire-nor-heaven_324760.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/john-milton-191_bloody_neither-prosperity-nor-empire-nor-heaven_324760.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/john-milton-191_bloody_neither-prosperity-nor-empire-nor-heaven_324760.png) > “Neither prosperity nor empire nor heaven can be worth winning at the price of a virulent temper, bloody hands, an anguished spirit, and a vain hatred of the rest of the world.” [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pursuing success at the cost of moral decay leads to inner torment and hatred of others. **In simple terms:** Winning by harming others destroys the soul. Key Takeaway Choose integrity over ruthless ambition. Themes ethics ambition inner conflict Mood somber reflective Type philosophical cautionary When to use this quote - political power - business leadership - personal relationships - warfare Key Concepts moral decay self‑destruction spiritual emptiness Questions to Reflect On - What values will you protect when tempted to compromise? - How does inner peace compare to external triumph? A Different Perspective Success without virtue breeds lasting misery. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anguished Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anguished-spirit-3053707/) [Bloody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bloody/) [Bloody hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bloody-hands-21654/) [Empires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empires/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Price Virulent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/price-virulent-3053706/) [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temper/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) [Vain Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain-hatred-3053705/) [Virulent Temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virulent-temper-3053704/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The aim of life is some way of living, as flexible and gentle as human nature; so that ambition may stoop to kindness, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/the-aim-of-life-is-some-way-of-living-as-flexible-and-gentle-as-human-2/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [Set we forward; let A Roman and a British ensign wave Friendly together. So through Lud's town march, And in the temple of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/set-we-forward-let-a-roman-and-a-british-ensign-wave-friendly/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Worse than a bloody hand is a hard heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/worse-than-a-bloody-hand-is-a-hard-heart/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Get your bloody hands off my wife!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/get-your-bloody-hands-off-my-wife/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [When the veil of fiction was rent, man shuddered before "Nature, red in tooth and claw." Nature had always been that and always will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/revilo-p-oliver/when-the-veil-of-fiction-was-rent-man-shuddered-before-nature-red-in/) [Revilo P. 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My very first job working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-derbyshire/success-doesn-t-have-a-downside-for-me-i-m-busy-but-i-ve-always-been/) [Victoria Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-derbyshire/) ## More by John Milton > [Love-quarrels oft in pleasing concord end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/love-quarrels-oft-in-pleasing-concord-end/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [What better can we do than prostrate fall before Him reverent, and there confess humbly our faults, and pardon beg with tears watering the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/what-better-can-we-do-than-prostrate-fall-before-him-reverent-and/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [And, when night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-when-night-darkens-the-streets-then-wander-forth-the-sons-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [And, re-assembling our afflicted powers, consult how we may henceforth most offend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-re-assembling-our-afflicted-powers-consult-how-we-may-henceforth/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Yet hold it more humane, more heav'nly, first, By winning words to conquer willing hearts, And make persuasion do the work of fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/yet-hold-it-more-humane-more-heav-nly-first-by-winning-words-to/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [O nightingale, that on yon bloomy spray Warblest at eve, when all the woods are still; Thou with fresh hope the lover's heart dost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/o-nightingale-that-on-yon-bloomy-spray-warblest-at-eve-when-all-the/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [The debt immense of endless gratitude, So burthensome, still paying, still to owe; Forgetful what from him I still receivd, And understood not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-debt-immense-of-endless-gratitude-so-burthensome-still-paying/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Knowledge forbidden? Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord Envy them that? Can it be sin to know, Can it be death? And do they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/knowledge-forbidden-suspicious-reasonless-why-should-their-lord-envy/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There is no truth sure enough to justify persecution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/there-is-no-truth-sure-enough-to-justify-persecution/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [New Presbyter is but Old Priest writ Large.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/new-presbyter-is-but-old-priest-writ-large/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [And what is faith, love, virtue unassayed Alone, without exterior help sustained?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-what-is-faith-love-virtue-unassayed-alone-without-exterior-help/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [This is servitude, To serve th'unwise, or him who hath rebelled Against his worthier, as thine now serve thee, Thyself not free, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/this-is-servitude-to-serve-th-unwise-or-him-who-hath-rebelled-against/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Let us seek Death, or he not found, supply With our own hands his office on ourselves; Why stand we longer shivering under fears,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/let-us-seek-death-or-he-not-found-supply-with-our-own-hands-his/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [They are the troublers, they are the dividers of unity, who neglect and don't permit others to unite those dissevered pieces which are yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/they-are-the-troublers-they-are-the-dividers-of-unity-who-neglect-and/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) [Explore all 966 John Milton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) ## More Bloody quotes > [Success doesn't have a downside for me. I'm busy, but I've always been busy whatever job I've had. My very first job working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-derbyshire/success-doesn-t-have-a-downside-for-me-i-m-busy-but-i-ve-always-been/) [Victoria Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-derbyshire/) > [AHHHHHH! 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When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-casals/i-was-at-mount-tamalpais-near-san-francisco-hiking-when-a-boulder/) [Pablo Casals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-casals/) > [Women are all the bloody sameyou can't love for five minutes without wanting it abolished in brats and house bloody wifery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/women-are-all-the-bloody-sameyou-can-t-love-for-five-minutes-without/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [Mass ought to be in Latin, unless you could do it in Greek or Chinese. 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