--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since ancient Time began, Ever on some…" description: "\"Since ancient Time began, Ever on some great soul God laid an infinite burden-- The weight of all this world, the hopes of man, Conflict and pain, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/richard-watson-gilder-29622_ancient_since-ancient-time-began-ever-on-some-gr_837057.jpg" --- # Since ancient Time began, Ever on some great soul God laid… ![“Since ancient Time began, Ever on some great soul God laid an infinite burden-- The weight of all this world, the hopes of man, Conflict and pain, and fame immortal are his guerdon.” quote by Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/richard-watson-gilder-29622_ancient_since-ancient-time-began-ever-on-some-gr_837057.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/richard-watson-gilder-29622_ancient_since-ancient-time-began-ever-on-some-gr_837057.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/richard-watson-gilder-29622_ancient_since-ancient-time-began-ever-on-some-gr_837057.jpg) > “Since ancient Time began, Ever on some great soul God laid an infinite burden-- The weight of all this world, the hopes of man, Conflict and pain, and fame immortal are his guerdon.” [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human existence carries a massive, often invisible weight of hopes, conflicts, and fame that defines our purpose. **In simple terms:** Life’s weight includes hopes, pain, and fame. Key Takeaway Accept and balance life's inherent burdens. Themes existence responsibility human condition Mood thoughtful somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - creative work - family life Key Concepts burden purpose spiritual struggle Questions to Reflect On - What burdens give your life meaning? - How do you transform suffering into purpose? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on burden can lead to despair. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Ancient times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-times/) [Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burden/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Great souls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-souls/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Immortal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortal/) [Immortal Guerdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortal-guerdon-610420/) [Infinite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinite/) [Infinite Burden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinite-burden-610419/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Soul God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul-god-610421/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [This world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-world/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Weight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weight/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Duties are ours; events are God's. This removes an infinite burden from the shoulders of a miserable, tempted, dying creature. On this consideration only,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cecil/duties-are-ours-events-are-god-s-this-removes-an-infinite-burden-from/) [Richard Cecil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cecil/) > [“The eye is to light as the soul is to God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-wood/the-eye-is-to-light-as-the-soul-is-to-god/) [Geoffrey Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-wood/) > [“Reveal you soul only to God. Don’t judge other by their acts, good or bad; still learn from what you see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-profeanu/reveal-you-soul-only-to-god-don-t-judge-other-by-their-acts-good-or/) [VIRGIL PROFEANU](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-profeanu/) > [Music and art and poetry attune the soul to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/music-and-art-and-poetry-attune-the-soul-to-god/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Do you think that I am a machine? That I can bear it? Do you think because I'm poor, plain, obsure, and little that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/do-you-think-that-i-am-a-machine-that-i-can-bear-it-do-you-think/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [I cannot take of my soul. God can keep that. My body is for me to take care of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/i-cannot-take-of-my-soul-god-can-keep-that-my-body-is-for-me-to-take/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [Prayer unites the soul to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-of-norwich/prayer-unites-the-soul-to-god/) [Julian of Norwich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-of-norwich/) > [“Shugendo means: “the way of the art of accumulating experience” - he replied, revealing that his interests go beyond the variety of insects in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/shugendo-means-the-way-of-the-art-of-accumulating-experience-he/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Who teaches the soul if not God?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-the-cross/who-teaches-the-soul-if-not-god/) [John of the Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-the-cross/) > [Lose your soul in God's Love... I swear there is no other way !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/lose-your-soul-in-god-s-love-i-swear-there-is-no-other-way/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [The human soul is to God, is as the flower to the sun; it opens at its approach, and shuts when it withdraws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-whichcote/the-human-soul-is-to-god-is-as-the-flower-to-the-sun-it-opens-at-its/) [Benjamin Whichcote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-whichcote/) > [Your soul is between you and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie/your-soul-is-between-you-and-god/) [India Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie/) > [In each soul, God loves and partly saves the whole world which that soul sums up in an incommunicable and particular way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/in-each-soul-god-loves-and-partly-saves-the-whole-world-which-that/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [The soul is in God and God in the soul, just as the fish is in the sea and the sea in the fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/the-soul-is-in-god-and-god-in-the-soul-just-as-the-fish-is-in-the-sea/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [The centre of the soul is God; and, when the soul has attained to Him according to the whole capacity of its being, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-the-cross/the-centre-of-the-soul-is-god-and-when-the-soul-has-attained-to-him/) [John of the Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-the-cross/) ## More by Richard Watson Gilder > [What babe new born is this that in a manger cries? Near on her lowly bed his happy mother lies. Oh, see the air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/what-babe-new-born-is-this-that-in-a-manger-cries-near-on-her-lowly/) [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) > [Fra Lippo, we have learned from thee A lesson of humanity: To every mother's heart forlorn, In every house the Christ is born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/fra-lippo-we-have-learned-from-thee-a-lesson-of-humanity-to-every/) [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) > [I am the laughter of the new-born child On whose soft-breathing sleep an angel smiled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/i-am-the-laughter-of-the-new-born-child-on-whose-soft-breathing-sleep/) [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) > [In Heaven's happy bowers There blossom two flowers, One with fiery glow And one as white as snow; While lo! before them stands, With…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/in-heaven-s-happy-bowers-there-blossom-two-flowers-one-with-fiery/) [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) > [Ye living soldiers of the mighty war, Once more from roaring cannon and the drums And bugles blown at morn, the summons comes; Forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/ye-living-soldiers-of-the-mighty-war-once-more-from-roaring-cannon/) [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) > [Against the darkness outer God's light his likeness takes, And he from the mighty doubter The great believer makes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/against-the-darkness-outer-god-s-light-his-likeness-takes-and-he-from/) [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) > [Oh, father's gone to market-town, he was up before the day, And Jamie's after robins, and the man is making hay, And whistling down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/oh-father-s-gone-to-market-town-he-was-up-before-the-day-and-jamie-s/) [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) > [In the embers shining bright A garden grows for thy delight, With roses yellow, red, and white. But, O my child, beware, beware! Touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/in-the-embers-shining-bright-a-garden-grows-for-thy-delight-with/) [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) > [A man not perfect, but of heart so high, of such heroic rage, That even his hopes became a part of earth's eternal heritage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/a-man-not-perfect-but-of-heart-so-high-of-such-heroic-rage-that-even/) [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) > [My name may have buoyancy enough to float upon the sea of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/my-name-may-have-buoyancy-enough-to-float-upon-the-sea-of-time/) [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) > [What if thou be saint or sinner, Crooked gray-beard, straight beginner,-- Empty paunch, or jolly dinner, When Death thee shall call. All like are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/what-if-thou-be-saint-or-sinner-crooked-gray-beard-straight-beginner/) [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) > [I am the spirit of the morning sea, I am the awakening and the glad surprise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/i-am-the-spirit-of-the-morning-sea-i-am-the-awakening-and-the-glad/) [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) > [Give me a theme," the little poet cried, "And I will do my part," "'Tis not a theme you need," the world replied; "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/give-me-a-theme-the-little-poet-cried-and-i-will-do-my-part-tis-not-a/) [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) > [Better than honor and glory, and History's iron pen, Was the thought of duty done and the love of his fellow-men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/better-than-honor-and-glory-and-history-s-iron-pen-was-the-thought-of/) [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) > [We lean on Faith; and some less wise have cried, "Behold the butterfly, the see that's cast!" Vain hopes that fall like flowers before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/we-lean-on-faith-and-some-less-wise-have-cried-behold-the-butterfly/) [Richard Watson Gilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) [Explore all 18 Richard Watson Gilder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [All the stories I have told you are finally as useless as all ancient knowledge is to man and to us. Its images and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/all-the-stories-i-have-told-you-are-finally-as-useless-as-all-ancient/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [Science has revealed a universe that is vast, ancient, violent, strange, and beautiful, a universe of almost infinite variety and possibility one in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/science-has-revealed-a-universe-that-is-vast-ancient-violent-strange/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) [Browse all 2,415 Ancient quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Since ancient Time began, Ever on some great soul God laid an infinite burden-- The weight of all this world, the hopes of man, Conflict and pain, and fame immortal are his guerdon.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Watson Gilder" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/since-ancient-time-began-ever-on-some-great-soul-god-laid-an-infinite/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ancient" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/since-ancient-time-began-ever-on-some-great-soul-god-laid-an-infinite/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/richard-watson-gilder-29622_ancient_since-ancient-time-began-ever-on-some-gr_837057.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/richard-watson-gilder-29622_ancient_since-ancient-time-began-ever-on-some-gr_837057.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad8/richard-watson-gilder-29622_ancient_since-ancient-time-began-ever-on-some-gr_837057.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Since ancient Time began, Ever on some great soul God laid an infinite burden-- The weight of all this…” — Richard Watson Gilder", "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": "Richard Watson Gilder", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-watson-gilder/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Since ancient Time began, Ever on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/since-ancient-time-began-ever-on-some-great-soul-god-laid-an-infinite/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-watson-gilder/since-ancient-time-began-ever-on-some-great-soul-god-laid-an-infinite/#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 } } ] } ```