--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Soldiers! Forty centuries behold you!" description: "\"Soldiers! Forty centuries behold you!\" — Napoleon Bonaparte" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/napoleon-bonaparte-206_behold_soldiers-forty-centuries-behold-you-2899_2899399.jpg" --- # Soldiers! Forty centuries behold you! ![“Soldiers! Forty centuries behold you!” quote by Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/napoleon-bonaparte-206_behold_soldiers-forty-centuries-behold-you-2899_2899399.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/napoleon-bonaparte-206_behold_soldiers-forty-centuries-behold-you-2899_2899399.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/napoleon-bonaparte-206_behold_soldiers-forty-centuries-behold-you-2899_2899399.jpg) > “Soldiers! Forty centuries behold you!” [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Soldiers are urged to recognize their historic legacy spanning centuries. **In simple terms:** Soldiers hold a long legacy. Key Takeaway Honor past to inspire present. Themes military legacy honor Mood proud solemn Type historical motivational When to use this quote - military training - ceremonial events - educational curricula Key Concepts historical continuity national pride Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities come with legacy? - How to balance pride with humility? A Different Perspective Glorifying war can overlook its costs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) [Soldiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldiers/) ## Related quotes > [Soldiers, forty centuries are looking down upon you from these pyramids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/soldiers-forty-centuries-are-looking-down-upon-you-from-these-pyramids/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The gospel is not a book; it is a living being, with an action, a power, which invades every thing that opposes its extension,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-gospel-is-not-a-book-it-is-a-living-being-with-an-action-a-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [From the heights of these pyramids, forty centuries look down on us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/from-the-heights-of-these-pyramids-forty-centuries-look-down-on-us/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Soldiers generally win battles; generals get credit for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/soldiers-generally-win-battles-generals-get-credit-for-them/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [When defending itself against another country, a nation never lacks men, but too often, soldiers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/when-defending-itself-against-another-country-a-nation-never-lacks/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [To have good soldiers, a nation must always be at war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/to-have-good-soldiers-a-nation-must-always-be-at-war/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [When soldiers have been baptized in the fire of a battle-field, they have all one rank in my eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/when-soldiers-have-been-baptized-in-the-fire-of-a-battle-field-they/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [It is not set speeches at the moment of battle that render soldiers brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/it-is-not-set-speeches-at-the-moment-of-battle-that-render-soldiers/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Revolutions are good times for soldiers of talent and courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/revolutions-are-good-times-for-soldiers-of-talent-and-courage/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-god-saw-everything-that-he-had-made-and-behold-it-was-very-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Behold the man I also know how to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/behold-the-man-i-also-know-how-to-be/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“If you believe, you shall behold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/if-you-believe-you-shall-behold/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Behold a fire from the opposite shore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chang-rae-lee/behold-a-fire-from-the-opposite-shore/) [Chang-rae Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chang-rae-lee/) > [You become what you behold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/you-become-what-you-behold/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [The same faint song is heard in everything: "Behold yourself".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-same-faint-song-is-heard-in-everything-behold-yourself/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) ## More by Napoleon Bonaparte > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Men grow old quickly on the battlefield.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/men-grow-old-quickly-on-the-battlefield/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The only victories which leave no regret are those which are gained over ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-only-victories-which-leave-no-regret-are-those-which-are-gained/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [When a government is dependent upon bankers for money, they and not the leaders of the government control the situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/when-a-government-is-dependent-upon-bankers-for-money-they-and-not/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [In the eyes of empire builders men are not men but instruments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/in-the-eyes-of-empire-builders-men-are-not-men-but-instruments/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [All becomes easy when we follow the current of opinion; it is the ruler of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/all-becomes-easy-when-we-follow-the-current-of-opinion-it-is-the/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The bullet that will kill me is not yet cast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-bullet-that-will-kill-me-is-not-yet-cast/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [A great reputation is a great noise, the more there is of it, and the further does it swell. Land, monuments, Nations, all fall,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-great-reputation-is-a-great-noise-the-more-there-is-of-it-and-the/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Character is victory organized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/character-is-victory-organized/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Republican despotism is more fertile in acts of tyranny, because everyone has a hand in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/republican-despotism-is-more-fertile-in-acts-of-tyranny-because/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [My decision to destroy the authority of the blacks in Saint Domingue (Haiti) is not so much based on considerations of commerce and money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/my-decision-to-destroy-the-authority-of-the-blacks-in-saint-domingue/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The army is the true nobility of our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-army-is-the-true-nobility-of-our-country/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [There is only one favorable moment in war; talent consists in knowing how to seize it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/there-is-only-one-favorable-moment-in-war-talent-consists-in-knowing/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [A great reserve and severity of manners are necessary for the command of those who are older than ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-great-reserve-and-severity-of-manners-are-necessary-for-the-command/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) [Explore all 914 Napoleon Bonaparte quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## More Behold quotes > [The same faint song is heard in everything: "Behold yourself".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-same-faint-song-is-heard-in-everything-behold-yourself/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [You become what you behold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/you-become-what-you-behold/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [“Behold a fire from the opposite shore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chang-rae-lee/behold-a-fire-from-the-opposite-shore/) [Chang-rae Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chang-rae-lee/) > [“If you believe, you shall behold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/if-you-believe-you-shall-behold/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Behold the man I also know how to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/behold-the-man-i-also-know-how-to-be/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-god-saw-everything-that-he-had-made-and-behold-it-was-very-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I had a little bit of resistance to the idea of taking energy away from my work, and the baby comes along and, lo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-had-a-little-bit-of-resistance-to-the-idea-of-taking-energy-away/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [“Come see," I was thinking. "Be the last thing you behold,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/come-see-i-was-thinking-be-the-last-thing-you-behold/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Beauty was not simply something to behold; it was something one could do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/beauty-was-not-simply-something-to-behold-it-was-something-one-could/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [ God . . . endowed \[the human race\] with capacity to attain to the inaccessible and invisible Supreme Good and behold it face to face . . . ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-paul-iii/god-endowed-the-human-race-with-capacity-to-attain-to-the/) Pope Paul III > [Behold the face you hide a lot af heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blasio-kajuna/behold-the-face-you-hide-a-lot-af-heart/) [Blasio Kajuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blasio-kajuna/) > [Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/behold-i-stand-at-the-door-and-knock-if-anyone-hears-my-voice-and/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [“When you behold the face of pure evil, it will be beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-farland/when-you-behold-the-face-of-pure-evil-it-will-be-beautiful/) [David Farland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-farland/) > [All we behold is miracle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/all-we-behold-is-miracle/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [“Believe to behold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/believe-to-behold/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) Browse all 118 Behold quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Soldiers! 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