---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No greater glory can be handed down than…"
description: "\"No greater glory can be handed down than to conquer the barbarian, to recall the savage and the pagan to civility, to draw the ignorant within the orbi..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/richard-hakluyt-85683_barbarian_no-greater-glory-can-be-handed-down-than_1500573.png"
---

#  No greater glory can be handed down than to conquer the…

![“No greater glory can be handed down than to conquer the barbarian, to recall the savage and the pagan to civility, to draw the ignorant within the orbit of reason, and to fill with reverence for divinity the godless and the ungodly.” quote by Richard Hakluyt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/richard-hakluyt-85683_barbarian_no-greater-glory-can-be-handed-down-than_1500573.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/richard-hakluyt-85683_barbarian_no-greater-glory-can-be-handed-down-than_1500573.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ee/richard-hakluyt-85683_barbarian_no-greater-glory-can-be-handed-down-than_1500573.png)

> “No greater glory can be handed down than to conquer the barbarian, to recall the savage and the pagan to civility, to draw the ignorant within the orbit of reason, and to fill with reverence for divinity the godless and the ungodly.”

Richard Hakluyt

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Civilizing efforts aim to transform “barbarian” peoples into rational, religious, and moral beings, asserting cultural superiority.

**In simple terms:** Conquest is portrayed as a noble mission to civilize.

Key Takeaway

Question the morality of imposing civilization.

Themes

civilization colonialism religion reason ethics

Mood

critical reflective

Type

historical philosophical

When to use this quote

- historical analysis
- education reform
- missionary work

Key Concepts

postcolonial studies theology political philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- Is forced conversion truly noble?
- What are the consequences of cultural domination?

A Different Perspective

May ignore the value of indigenous cultures and autonomy.

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[Barbarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarian/) [Barbarians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarians/) [Civility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civility/) [Divinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divinity/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Orbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orbit/) [Pagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pagan/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reverence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverence/) [Savages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savages/)

## Related quotes

> [“…no greater glory can be handed down than to conquer the barbarian, to recall the savage and the pagan to civility…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hakluyt/no-greater-glory-can-be-handed-down-than-to-conquer-the-barbarian-to/)

Richard Hakluyt

> [One simply cannot engage in barbarous action without becoming a barbarian, because one cannot defend human values by calculated and unprovoked violence without doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/one-simply-cannot-engage-in-barbarous-action-without-becoming-a/)

[J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/)

> [They knew no better, but I do not propose to follow the example of a barbarian because he was honestly a barbarian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/they-knew-no-better-but-i-do-not-propose-to-follow-the-example-of-a/)

[Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/)

> [Barbarian --A Code of Conduct honored by all true barbarian warriors, requiring excellent coordination with weapons, closeness to nature, awkwardness with women, common sense,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-anthony/barbarian-a-code-of-conduct-honored-by-all-true-barbarian-warriors/)

[Piers Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-anthony/)

> [A barbarian who could not write a sentence of grammar and hardly could spell his own name… One of our tribe of great men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/a-barbarian-who-could-not-write-a-sentence-of-grammar-and-hardly/)

[John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/)

> [If there were a clear prospect that such evils were part of a barbarian past, then at least we might find a small crumb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-conway-morris/if-there-were-a-clear-prospect-that-such-evils-were-part-of-a/)

[Simon Conway Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-conway-morris/)

> [If you were an ancient barbarian, I bet a real embarrassing thing would be if you were sacking Rome and your cape got caught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/if-you-were-an-ancient-barbarian-i-bet-a-real-embarrassing-thing/)

[Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/)

> [To be a great autocrat you must be a great barbarian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/to-be-a-great-autocrat-you-must-be-a-great-barbarian/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

> [“How DARE you and the rest of your barbarians set fire to my library? Play conqueror all you want, Mighty Caesar ! Rape, murder,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-buchman/how-dare-you-and-the-rest-of-your-barbarians-set-fire-to-my-library/)

sidney buchman

> [How is it that in the so-called barbarian ages art was understood, whereas in our age of progress exactly the opposite is true?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-auguste-renoir/how-is-it-that-in-the-so-called-barbarian-ages-art-was-understood/)

[Pierre-Auguste Renoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-auguste-renoir/)

> [It is better to kill the barbarian during his coming than to tell your children that there was culture, but the barbarians came and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/it-is-better-to-kill-the-barbarian-during-his-coming-than-to-tell/)

[Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/)

> [“The Barbarian hopes — and that is the mark of him, that he can have his cake and eat it too.He will consume what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/the-barbarian-hopes-and-that-is-the-mark-of-him-that-he-can-have-his/)

[Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/)

> [There are three attributes for which I am grateful to Fortune: that I was born, first, human and not animal; second, man and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thales/there-are-three-attributes-for-which-i-am-grateful-to-fortune-that-i/)

[Thales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thales/)

> [If you go back to the Conan the Barbarian series, I really liked that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-braugher/if-you-go-back-to-the-conan-the-barbarian-series-i-really-liked-that/)

[Andre Braugher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-braugher/)

> [To conceive that compulsion and punishment are the proper means of reformation is the sentiment of a barbarian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/to-conceive-that-compulsion-and-punishment-are-the-proper-means-of/)

[William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/)

## More by Richard Hakluyt

> [“…no greater glory can be handed down than to conquer the barbarian, to recall the savage and the pagan to civility…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hakluyt/no-greater-glory-can-be-handed-down-than-to-conquer-the-barbarian-to/)

Richard Hakluyt

> [Ships are to little purpose without skillful Sea Men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hakluyt/ships-are-to-little-purpose-without-skillful-sea-men/)

Richard Hakluyt

Explore all 3 Richard Hakluyt quotes

## More Barbarian quotes

> [One simply cannot engage in barbarous action without becoming a barbarian, because one cannot defend human values by calculated and unprovoked violence without doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/one-simply-cannot-engage-in-barbarous-action-without-becoming-a/)

[J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/)

> [If you go back to the Conan the Barbarian series, I really liked that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-braugher/if-you-go-back-to-the-conan-the-barbarian-series-i-really-liked-that/)

[Andre Braugher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-braugher/)

> [“(First Barbarian): whats the difference between a lord and a barbarian? (second Barbarian): As little as a week!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gonick/first-barbarian-whats-the-difference-between-a-lord-and-a-barbarian/)

Larry Gonick

> [There are three attributes for which I am grateful to Fortune: that I was born, first, human and not animal; second, man and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thales/there-are-three-attributes-for-which-i-am-grateful-to-fortune-that-i/)

[Thales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thales/)

> [“It wasn't too much, to take a frail figure into one's arms for those last moments of life. Better than a cot, or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/it-wasn-t-too-much-to-take-a-frail-figure-into-one-s-arms-for-those/)

[Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/)

> [“The barbarian loves his own pride, and hates, or disbelieves in, the pride of others. I will be a civilized being, I will love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-blixen/the-barbarian-loves-his-own-pride-and-hates-or-disbelieves-in-the/)

[Karen Blixen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-blixen/)

> [“The Barbarian hopes — and that is the mark of him, that he can have his cake and eat it too.He will consume what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/the-barbarian-hopes-and-that-is-the-mark-of-him-that-he-can-have-his/)

[Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/)

> [“I don't believe in virgin sacrifice. It encourages promiscuity at an early age”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrianne-ambrose/i-don-t-believe-in-virgin-sacrifice-it-encourages-promiscuity-at-an/)

Adrianne Ambrose

> [It is better to kill the barbarian during his coming than to tell your children that there was culture, but the barbarians came and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/it-is-better-to-kill-the-barbarian-during-his-coming-than-to-tell/)

[Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/)

> [How is it that in the so-called barbarian ages art was understood, whereas in our age of progress exactly the opposite is true?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-auguste-renoir/how-is-it-that-in-the-so-called-barbarian-ages-art-was-understood/)

[Pierre-Auguste Renoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-auguste-renoir/)

> [The true barbarian is he who thinks everything barbarous but his own tastes and prejudices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-true-barbarian-is-he-who-thinks-everything-barbarous-but-his-own/)

[William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/)

> [Conan the Barbarian,' 'Star Wars,' 'Mary Poppins' and 'The Wizard of Oz' were my earliest VHS obsessions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-eggers/conan-the-barbarian-star-wars-mary-poppins-and-the-wizard-of-oz-were/)

[Robert Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-eggers/)

> [“It was as if all my life had been spent fighting, killing and running. I wanted peace but I knew it was unattainable. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-nath/it-was-as-if-all-my-life-had-been-spent-fighting-killing-and-running/)

Fredrik Nath

> [“How DARE you and the rest of your barbarians set fire to my library? Play conqueror all you want, Mighty Caesar ! Rape, murder,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-buchman/how-dare-you-and-the-rest-of-your-barbarians-set-fire-to-my-library/)

sidney buchman

> [To be a great autocrat you must be a great barbarian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/to-be-a-great-autocrat-you-must-be-a-great-barbarian/)

[Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/)

[Browse all 88 Barbarian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarian/)

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