--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe that it is possible for one to…" description: "\"I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for adulation is lacking...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/niccolo-machiavelli-368_adulation_i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to_43683.jpg" --- # I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without… ![“I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for adulation is lacking.” quote by Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/niccolo-machiavelli-368_adulation_i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to_43683.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/niccolo-machiavelli-368_adulation_i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to_43683.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/niccolo-machiavelli-368_adulation_i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to_43683.jpg) > “I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for adulation is lacking.” [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Posthumous praise is unjustified because the living cannot verify the merits or motives of the deceased, rendering admiration baseless. **In simple terms:** Dead men cannot be fairly praised. Key Takeaway Praise after death lacks evidence. Themes ethics philosophy mortality reputation truth Mood reflective skeptical Type aphorism philosophical observation When to use this quote - historical analysis - memorial speeches - literary criticism - political discourse Key Concepts posthumous judgment subjectivity historical bias Practical Applications - evaluating legacy - guiding ethical commemoration Questions to Reflect On - Is it possible to honor someone truthfully after they die? - How does uncertainty affect our memory of the dead? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adulation/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art of war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-of-war/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Supervision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supervision/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [It is the greatest possible praise to be praised by a man who is himself deserving of praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/latin-proverb/it-is-the-greatest-possible-praise-to-be-praised-by-a-man-who-is/) Latin Proverb > [Mass adulation from the multitudes does not penetrate your soul or your core.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-o-donnell/mass-adulation-from-the-multitudes-does-not-penetrate-your-soul-or/) [Rosie O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-o-donnell/) > [Our weapons are the ironic mind against the literal: the open mind against the credulous; the courageous pursuit of truth against the fearful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/our-weapons-are-the-ironic-mind-against-the-literal-the-open-mind/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [What is the average type of a counterfeit church? A hammock, attached on one side to the cross, and, on the other, held and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-cook/what-is-the-average-type-of-a-counterfeit-church-a-hammock-attached/) [Joseph Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-cook/) > [The ambitious are forever followed by adulation for they receive the most pleasure from flattery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-ambitious-are-forever-followed-by-adulation-for-they-receive-the/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [The adulation or the superstardom is something I could leave out quite happily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/the-adulation-or-the-superstardom-is-something-i-could-leave-out/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [In the game of cricket it has always been customary to accord more adulation to batsman than to bowlers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-peebles/in-the-game-of-cricket-it-has-always-been-customary-to-accord-more/) Ian Peebles > [Smitten as we are with the vision of social righteousness, a God indifferent to everything but adulation, and full of partiality for his individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/smitten-as-we-are-with-the-vision-of-social-righteousness-a-god/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I savour the adulation and love I have been getting from my fans and the blessings of elders in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-savour-the-adulation-and-love-i-have-been-getting-from-my-fans-and/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [I believe that Jesus would have given His life for just one person. Jesus emptied Himself, He humbled Himself and He so yielded Himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-baker/i-believe-that-jesus-would-have-given-his-life-for-just-one-person/) [Heidi Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-baker/) > [Continuously, we have to fight to defeat the primitive tendency towards the glorification of arms, the adulation of force, born of the illusion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/continuously-we-have-to-fight-to-defeat-the-primitive-tendency/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [That is what marks out the warrior: the knowledge that willpower and courage are not the same thing. Courage can attract fear and adulation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/that-is-what-marks-out-the-warrior-the-knowledge-that-willpower-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Weirdly, there have been a lot of critics of conservatism, but very few critics of innovation. As a culture, we are deeply paranoid about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-lepore/weirdly-there-have-been-a-lot-of-critics-of-conservatism-but-very-few/) [Jill Lepore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-lepore/) > [“To say she is only a woman is to say a violin is a piece of wood with strings, and Dante is mere ink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-crown/to-say-she-is-only-a-woman-is-to-say-a-violin-is-a-piece-of-wood-with/) [Bruce Crown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-crown/) > [Giving consistent effort in the little things in day-to-day life leads to true greatness. Specifically, it is the thousands of little deeds and tasks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-w-hunter/giving-consistent-effort-in-the-little-things-in-day-to-day-life/) [Howard W. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-w-hunter/) ## More by Niccolo Machiavelli > [Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-generally-decide-upon-a-middle-course-which-is-most-hazardous-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It is the duty of a man of honor to teach others the good which he has not been able to do himself because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-the-duty-of-a-man-of-honor-to-teach-others-the-good-which-he/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who believes that new benefits make men of high station forget old injuries deceives himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-believes-that-new-benefits-make-men-of-high-station-forget/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [He who has once begun to live by rapine always finds reasons for taking what is not his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-has-once-begun-to-live-by-rapine-always-finds-reasons-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/everyone-who-wants-to-know-what-will-happen-ought-to-examine-what-has/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/speaking-generally-men-are-ungrateful-fickle-hypocritical-fearful/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [There is nothing as likely to succeed as what the enemy believes you cannot attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/there-is-nothing-as-likely-to-succeed-as-what-the-enemy-believes-you/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearance, as though they were realities and are often more influenced by the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/for-the-great-majority-of-mankind-are-satisfied-with-appearance-as/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; for, provided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/that-prince-is-highly-esteemed-who-conveys-this-impression-of-himself/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who studies present and ancient affairs will easily see how in all cities and all peoples there still exist, and have always existed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-studies-present-and-ancient-affairs-will-easily-see-how-in/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Men are always averse to enterprises in which they foresee difficulties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-always-averse-to-enterprises-in-which-they-foresee/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“He who causes another to become powerful ruins himself, for he brings such a power into being either by design or by force, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-causes-another-to-become-powerful-ruins-himself-for-he-brings/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [One never finds anything perfectly pure and ... exempt from danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/one-never-finds-anything-perfectly-pure-and-exempt-from-danger/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“war is not so to be avoided, but is only deferred to your disadvantage”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/war-is-not-so-to-be-avoided-but-is-only-deferred-to-your-disadvantage/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) [Explore all 590 Niccolo Machiavelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## More Adulation quotes > [Mass adulation from the multitudes does not penetrate your soul or your core.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-o-donnell/mass-adulation-from-the-multitudes-does-not-penetrate-your-soul-or/) [Rosie O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-o-donnell/) > [“To say she is only a woman is to say a violin is a piece of wood with strings, and Dante is mere ink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-crown/to-say-she-is-only-a-woman-is-to-say-a-violin-is-a-piece-of-wood-with/) [Bruce Crown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-crown/) > [Weirdly, there have been a lot of critics of conservatism, but very few critics of innovation. As a culture, we are deeply paranoid about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-lepore/weirdly-there-have-been-a-lot-of-critics-of-conservatism-but-very-few/) [Jill Lepore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-lepore/) > [That is what marks out the warrior: the knowledge that willpower and courage are not the same thing. Courage can attract fear and adulation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/that-is-what-marks-out-the-warrior-the-knowledge-that-willpower-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Continuously, we have to fight to defeat the primitive tendency towards the glorification of arms, the adulation of force, born of the illusion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/continuously-we-have-to-fight-to-defeat-the-primitive-tendency/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I believe that Jesus would have given His life for just one person. Jesus emptied Himself, He humbled Himself and He so yielded Himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-baker/i-believe-that-jesus-would-have-given-his-life-for-just-one-person/) [Heidi Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-baker/) > [I savour the adulation and love I have been getting from my fans and the blessings of elders in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-savour-the-adulation-and-love-i-have-been-getting-from-my-fans-and/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [Smitten as we are with the vision of social righteousness, a God indifferent to everything but adulation, and full of partiality for his individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/smitten-as-we-are-with-the-vision-of-social-righteousness-a-god/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [In the game of cricket it has always been customary to accord more adulation to batsman than to bowlers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-peebles/in-the-game-of-cricket-it-has-always-been-customary-to-accord-more/) Ian Peebles > [The adulation or the superstardom is something I could leave out quite happily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/the-adulation-or-the-superstardom-is-something-i-could-leave-out/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [The ambitious are forever followed by adulation for they receive the most pleasure from flattery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-ambitious-are-forever-followed-by-adulation-for-they-receive-the/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [What is the average type of a counterfeit church? A hammock, attached on one side to the cross, and, on the other, held and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-cook/what-is-the-average-type-of-a-counterfeit-church-a-hammock-attached/) [Joseph Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-cook/) > [Our weapons are the ironic mind against the literal: the open mind against the credulous; the courageous pursuit of truth against the fearful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/our-weapons-are-the-ironic-mind-against-the-literal-the-open-mind/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Giving consistent effort in the little things in day-to-day life leads to true greatness. Specifically, it is the thousands of little deeds and tasks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-w-hunter/giving-consistent-effort-in-the-little-things-in-day-to-day-life/) [Howard W. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-w-hunter/) > [Public adulation is the ultimate high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urmila-matondkar/public-adulation-is-the-ultimate-high/) [Urmila Matondkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urmila-matondkar/) [Browse all 86 Adulation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adulation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for adulation is lacking.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Niccolo Machiavelli" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to-praise-without-concern-any/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adulation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to-praise-without-concern-any/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/niccolo-machiavelli-368_adulation_i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to_43683.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/niccolo-machiavelli-368_adulation_i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to_43683.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/niccolo-machiavelli-368_adulation_i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to_43683.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every…” — Niccolo Machiavelli", "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": "Niccolo Machiavelli", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I believe that it is possible...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to-praise-without-concern-any/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to-praise-without-concern-any/#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 } } ] } ```