--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After having won a scepter, few are so…" description: "\"After having won a scepter, few are so generous as to disdain the pleasures of ruling.\" — Pierre Corneille" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/pierre-corneille-2033_disdain_after-having-won-a-scepter-few-are-so-ge_2272784.jpg" --- # After having won a scepter, few are so generous as to… ![“After having won a scepter, few are so generous as to disdain the pleasures of ruling.” quote by Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/pierre-corneille-2033_disdain_after-having-won-a-scepter-few-are-so-ge_2272784.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/pierre-corneille-2033_disdain_after-having-won-a-scepter-few-are-so-ge_2272784.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/pierre-corneille-2033_disdain_after-having-won-a-scepter-few-are-so-ge_2272784.jpg) > “After having won a scepter, few are so generous as to disdain the pleasures of ruling.” [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power can corrupt, making rulers disdain pleasure. **In simple terms:** Rulers may reject joy. Key Takeaway Beware power's corrupting effect. Themes power corruption humility Mood cautionary reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - government decisions - leadership roles - wealth management Key Concepts political philosophy ethical leadership Questions to Reflect On - How does power affect personal joy? - What checks prevent ruler excess? A Different Perspective May oversimplify ruler motives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disdain/) [Generous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generous/) ## Related quotes > [Love like Death,, Levels all ranks, and lays the shepherd's crook Beside the scepter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/love-like-death-levels-all-ranks-and-lays-the-shepherd-s-crook-beside/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [A scepter is one thing, and a ladle another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/a-scepter-is-one-thing-and-a-ladle-another/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Could you please explain to me exactly what the staff is that you carry?" Cronus proudly held the symbol of his power and authority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-hill/could-you-please-explain-to-me-exactly-what-the-staff-is-that-you/) [Stuart Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-hill/) > [There is more power in a mother's hand than in a king's scepter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/there-is-more-power-in-a-mother-s-hand-than-in-a-king-s-scepter/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) > [“So now I get the scepter?" Jason asked. Cupid laughed. Unfortunately, you could not wield it. Only a child of the Underworld can summon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/so-now-i-get-the-scepter-jason-asked-cupid-laughed-unfortunately-you/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“throne, O God, endures forever and ever.                  Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity;                  You love righteousness and hate wickedness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-d-ehrman/throne-o-god-endures-forever-and-ever-your-royal-scepter-is-a-scepter/) [Bart D. Ehrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-d-ehrman/) > [ It is something to hold the scepter with a firm hand. \[Lat., Est aliquid valida sceptra tenere manu.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/it-is-something-to-hold-the-scepter-with-a-firm-hand-lat-est-aliquid/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“...The people’s hero does not only have to be someone in possession of the scepter of power. It can be anyone capable of giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janvier-chando/the-people-s-hero-does-not-only-have-to-be-someone-in-possession-of/) [Janvier Chando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janvier-chando/) > [In each human heart terror survives The ravin it has gorged: the loftiest fear All that they would disdain to think were true: Hypocrisy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/in-each-human-heart-terror-survives-the-ravin-it-has-gorged-the/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Nothing is more painful to me than the disdain with which people treat second-rate authors, as if there were room only for the first-raters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/nothing-is-more-painful-to-me-than-the-disdain-with-which-people/) [Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/) > [ “You \[demagogues\] are like the fishers for eels; in still waters they catch nothing, but if they thoroughly stir up the slime, their fishing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/you-demagogues-are-like-the-fishers-for-eels-in-still-waters-they/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [Law 36: Disdain things you cannot have: Ignoring them is the best revenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-48-laws-of-power/law-36-disdain-things-you-cannot-have-ignoring-them-is-the-best/) [The 48 Laws Of Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-48-laws-of-power/) > [For he who is not deaf, half a silence is enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-malfatti/for-he-who-is-not-deaf-half-a-silence-is-enough/) [Jean-Paul Malfatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-malfatti/) > [If you increase the number of rockets you build and you buy, then it's the scale of the economy, the price is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-increase-the-number-of-rockets-you-build-and-you-buy-then-it-s/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-dangerous-and-fateful-presumption-besides-the-absurd-temerity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Pierre Corneille > [Sir, what does it matter whom I serve, so long as I am right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/sir-what-does-it-matter-whom-i-serve-so-long-as-i-am-right/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [He who allows himself to be insulted deserves to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/he-who-allows-himself-to-be-insulted-deserves-to-be/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [Flee an enemy who knows your weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/flee-an-enemy-who-knows-your-weakness/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [Such is the caprice of Romans... who reject kings in name but not in practice, and accept an Emperor mightier than a hundred kings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/such-is-the-caprice-of-romans-who-reject-kings-in-name-but-not-in/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [To take revenge halfheartedly is to court disaster; either condemn or crown your hatred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/to-take-revenge-halfheartedly-is-to-court-disaster-either-condemn-or/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [They who overcome their desires once can overcome them always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/they-who-overcome-their-desires-once-can-overcome-them-always/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [ By speaking of our misfortunes we often relieve them. \[Fr., A raconter ses maux souvent on les soulage.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/by-speaking-of-our-misfortunes-we-often-relieve-them-fr-a-raconter/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [Self-love is the source of all our other loves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/self-love-is-the-source-of-all-our-other-loves/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [As our self-interests differ, so do our feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/as-our-self-interests-differ-so-do-our-feelings/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [I don't know how to defend myself: surprised innocence cannot imagine being under suspicion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/i-don-t-know-how-to-defend-myself-surprised-innocence-cannot-imagine/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [He who allows me to rule is in fact my master](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/he-who-allows-me-to-rule-is-in-fact-my-master/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [All great virtues become great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/all-great-virtues-become-great-men/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [He who forgives readily only invites offense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/he-who-forgives-readily-only-invites-offense/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [For souls nobly born, valor doesn't await the passing of years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/for-souls-nobly-born-valor-doesn-t-await-the-passing-of-years/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [It is the gift of heaven and not of reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/it-is-the-gift-of-heaven-and-not-of-reason/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) [Explore all 181 Pierre Corneille quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) ## More Disdain quotes > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-dangerous-and-fateful-presumption-besides-the-absurd-temerity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you increase the number of rockets you build and you buy, then it's the scale of the economy, the price is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-increase-the-number-of-rockets-you-build-and-you-buy-then-it-s/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [For he who is not deaf, half a silence is enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-malfatti/for-he-who-is-not-deaf-half-a-silence-is-enough/) [Jean-Paul Malfatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-malfatti/) > [Law 36: Disdain things you cannot have: Ignoring them is the best revenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-48-laws-of-power/law-36-disdain-things-you-cannot-have-ignoring-them-is-the-best/) [The 48 Laws Of Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-48-laws-of-power/) > [ “You \[demagogues\] are like the fishers for eels; in still waters they catch nothing, but if they thoroughly stir up the slime, their fishing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/you-demagogues-are-like-the-fishers-for-eels-in-still-waters-they/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [“Nothing is more painful to me than the disdain with which people treat second-rate authors, as if there were room only for the first-raters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/nothing-is-more-painful-to-me-than-the-disdain-with-which-people/) [Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/) > [In each human heart terror survives The ravin it has gorged: the loftiest fear All that they would disdain to think were true: Hypocrisy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/in-each-human-heart-terror-survives-the-ravin-it-has-gorged-the/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Marriage is a reflection of your life in general: how you treat people, how you argue, how secure you are in your own thoughts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/marriage-is-a-reflection-of-your-life-in-general-how-you-treat-people/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [It seems I have a hard time being attracted to someone unless I respect what they do on some level. Otherwise, I would feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-stoltz/it-seems-i-have-a-hard-time-being-attracted-to-someone-unless-i/) [Eric Stoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-stoltz/) > [I have a particular disdain for Islamic extremism, and of course, in both 'The Kite Runner' and 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' that's obvious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-have-a-particular-disdain-for-islamic-extremism-and-of-course-in/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [...all his longings came out as a kind of disdain for what he longed for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hollinghurst/all-his-longings-came-out-as-a-kind-of-disdain-for-what-he-longed-for/) [Alan Hollinghurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hollinghurst/) > [ I've always found that word \[“hipster”\] is used with such disdain, like it's always used by chubby bloggers who aren't getting laid anymore and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-mcinnes/i-ve-always-found-that-word-hipster-is-used-with-such-disdain-like-it/) [Gavin McInnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-mcinnes/) > [I was a trader for a company. That's different from the brokers who we sort of disdain as sort of just errand boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/i-was-a-trader-for-a-company-that-s-different-from-the-brokers-who-we/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [Intellectual men who quickly wolf down whatever nourishment is necessary for their bodies with a kind of disdain, may be very rational and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-augustin-de-coulomb/intellectual-men-who-quickly-wolf-down-whatever-nourishment-is/) Charles-Augustin de Coulomb > [All human life is sunk deep in untruth; the individual cannot pull it out of this well without growing profoundly annoyed with his entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/all-human-life-is-sunk-deep-in-untruth-the-individual-cannot-pull-it/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) [Browse all 266 Disdain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disdain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After having won a scepter, few are so generous as to disdain the pleasures of ruling.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pierre Corneille" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/after-having-won-a-scepter-few-are-so-generous-as-to-disdain-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disdain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/after-having-won-a-scepter-few-are-so-generous-as-to-disdain-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/pierre-corneille-2033_disdain_after-having-won-a-scepter-few-are-so-ge_2272784.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/pierre-corneille-2033_disdain_after-having-won-a-scepter-few-are-so-ge_2272784.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a9/pierre-corneille-2033_disdain_after-having-won-a-scepter-few-are-so-ge_2272784.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“After having won a scepter, few are so generous as to disdain the pleasures of ruling.” — Pierre Corneille", "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": "Pierre Corneille", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "After having won a scepter, few...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/after-having-won-a-scepter-few-are-so-generous-as-to-disdain-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/after-having-won-a-scepter-few-are-so-generous-as-to-disdain-the/#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 } } ] } ```