--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Would you have a great empire? Rule over…" description: "\"“Would you have a great empire? Rule over yourself. —PUBLIUS SYRUS”\" — Ryan Holiday" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/ryan-holiday-514_quote_would-you-have-a-great-empire-rule-over_1168998.jpg" --- # Would you have a great empire? Rule over yourself… ![“Would you have a great empire? Rule over yourself. —PUBLIUS SYRUS” quote by Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/ryan-holiday-514_quote_would-you-have-a-great-empire-rule-over_1168998.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/ryan-holiday-514_quote_would-you-have-a-great-empire-rule-over_1168998.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/ryan-holiday-514_quote_would-you-have-a-great-empire-rule-over_1168998.jpg) > ““Would you have a great empire? Rule over yourself. —PUBLIUS SYRUS”” [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑rule is the foundation of a powerful empire, whether external or internal. **In simple terms:** Rule yourself first. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑discipline. Themes self‑discipline leadership stoicism Mood thoughtful steady Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - career leadership - personal habits - conflict resolution - goal setting Key Concepts virtue self‑control Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice self‑rule daily? - What habits reinforce your inner empire? A Different Perspective Self‑rule is challenging without external pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Empire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empire/) [Empire Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empire-rule-1055928/) [Great Empire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-empire-775758/) [Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule/) [Rule Publius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-publius-3379391/) ## Related quotes > [Would you have a great empire? Rule over yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/would-you-have-a-great-empire-rule-over-yourself/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [A great empire, like a great cake, is most easily diminished at the edges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-great-empire-like-a-great-cake-is-most-easily-diminished-at-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [O, beautiful and grand, My own, my native land! Of thee I boast: Great empire of the west, The dearest and the best, Made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-coles/o-beautiful-and-grand-my-own-my-native-land-of-thee-i-boast-great/) [Abraham Coles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-coles/) > [Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings, they did it by killing all those who opposed them. If at first you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/rome-did-not-create-a-great-empire-by-having-meetings-they-did-it-by/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [A great empire and little minds go ill together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/a-great-empire-and-little-minds-go-ill-together/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [ \[T\]he foundation of a great Empire is laid, and I please myself with a persuasion, that Providence will not leave its work imperfect. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/t-he-foundation-of-a-great-empire-is-laid-and-i-please-myself-with-a/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Magnanimity in politics is not seldom the truest wisdom; and a great empire and little minds go ill together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/magnanimity-in-politics-is-not-seldom-the-truest-wisdom-and-a-great/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“The advantage of possessing a great empire is not to be able to do the evil that one desires, but to do all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/the-advantage-of-possessing-a-great-empire-is-not-to-be-able-to-do/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The great empire will be torn from limb, the all-powerful one for more than four-hundred years: Great power given to the dark one from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nostradamus/the-great-empire-will-be-torn-from-limb-the-all-powerful-one-for-more/) [Nostradamus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nostradamus/) > [Posterity will talk of Washington as the founder of a great empire, when my name shall be lost in the vortex of revolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/posterity-will-talk-of-washington-as-the-founder-of-a-great-empire/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [But if we are to remain a great empire, we must have a greater understanding of the hearts and minds of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/but-if-we-are-to-remain-a-great-empire-we-must-have-a-greater/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“A great empire cannot bring freedom by its own decay to those corners in it where a subject people are prevented from discussing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/a-great-empire-cannot-bring-freedom-by-its-own-decay-to-those-corners/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [To found a great empire for the sole purpose of raising up a people of customers, may at first sight appear a project fit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/to-found-a-great-empire-for-the-sole-purpose-of-raising-up-a-people/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [Man who man would be, must rule the empire of himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/man-who-man-would-be-must-rule-the-empire-of-himself/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [We'd always come into Syracuse for the Empire State Games and the stair fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-biden/we-d-always-come-into-syracuse-for-the-empire-state-games-and-the/) [Beau Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-biden/) ## More by Ryan Holiday > [“If we can focus on making clear what parts of our day are within our control and what parts are not, we will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/if-we-can-focus-on-making-clear-what-parts-of-our-day-are-within-our/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“The areas of great interest to the Stoics all make an appearance here: virtue, mortality, emotions, self-awareness, fortitude, right action, problem solving, acceptance, mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-areas-of-great-interest-to-the-stoics-all-make-an-appearance-here/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“With a business, we take most failures less personally and understand they’re part of the process.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/with-a-business-we-take-most-failures-less-personally-and-understand/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Many creatives want to be just the creator, or only “the idea guy.” They like that because it’s sexy and because that’s what comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/many-creatives-want-to-be-just-the-creator-or-only-the-idea-guy-they/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Pretty much everyone's career starts the same way: with grunt work. Not just the cliched fetching of coffee, but other lowly tasks: taking notes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/pretty-much-everyone-s-career-starts-the-same-way-with-grunt-work-not/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [The greats - they protect their sleep because it's where the best work comes from. They say no to things. They turn in when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-greats-they-protect-their-sleep-because-it-s-where-the-best-work/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Where little danger is apprehended, the more the enemy will be unprepared and consequently there is the fairest prospect of success.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/where-little-danger-is-apprehended-the-more-the-enemy-will-be/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [We often learn the hard way that our world is ruled by external factors. We don't always get what is rightfully ours, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/we-often-learn-the-hard-way-that-our-world-is-ruled-by-external/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“From Rusticus … I learned to read carefully and not be satisfied with a rough understanding of the whole, and not to agree too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/from-rusticus-i-learned-to-read-carefully-and-not-be-satisfied-with-a/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [I wholeheartedly agree that many media 'standards' can feel disingenuous or, in fact, be a cover for less-than-honest behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/i-wholeheartedly-agree-that-many-media-standards-can-feel/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Remember: even what we get for free has a cost, if only in what we pay to store it—in our garages and in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/remember-even-what-we-get-for-free-has-a-cost-if-only-in-what-we-pay/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [It's your job to find a release and an outlet for the stress and the feelings. Never forget: the crazy stays at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/it-s-your-job-to-find-a-release-and-an-outlet-for-the-stress-and-the/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Where the head goes, the body follows. Perception precedes action. Right action follows the right perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/where-the-head-goes-the-body-follows-perception-precedes-action-right/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [The risks of speaking extemporaneously are apparent the first time you wing it and promptly put your foot in your mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-risks-of-speaking-extemporaneously-are-apparent-the-first-time/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“The tools of the Internet and social media have made it possible to track, test, iterate, and improve marketing to the point where these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-tools-of-the-internet-and-social-media-have-made-it-possible-to/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) [Explore all 504 Ryan Holiday quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## More Empire quotes > [We'd always come into Syracuse for the Empire State Games and the stair fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-biden/we-d-always-come-into-syracuse-for-the-empire-state-games-and-the/) [Beau Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-biden/) > [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/) > [My mind to me an empire is,While grace affordeth health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-dyer/my-mind-to-me-an-empire-is-while-grace-affordeth-health/) [Edward Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-dyer/) > [“I got tired of constantly watching shrewd little bullies like you walk around like you mean something, like you’re better than the people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-rankin/i-got-tired-of-constantly-watching-shrewd-little-bullies-like-you/) [Christopher Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-rankin/) > [I don't want a trillion-dollar empire to run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-malkovich/i-don-t-want-a-trillion-dollar-empire-to-run/) [John Malkovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-malkovich/) > [“What really lies beneath our feet at each moment is not a usefulness, but an inaccessible netherworld that we can use because it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-harman/what-really-lies-beneath-our-feet-at-each-moment-is-not-a-usefulness/) [Graham Harman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-harman/) > [“When you fear nothing, you have nothing to fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-f-chandler/when-you-fear-nothing-you-have-nothing-to-fear/) [S.F. Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-f-chandler/) > [Anybody who ever built an empire, or changed the world, sat where you are now. And it's \*because\* they sat there that they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-bingham/anybody-who-ever-built-an-empire-or-changed-the-world-sat-where-you/) [Ryan Bingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-bingham/) > [The Romans have provided a lot of writers with a model for various interstellar empires, of course, and no wonder. The Roman Empire is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-leckie/the-romans-have-provided-a-lot-of-writers-with-a-model-for-various/) [Ann Leckie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-leckie/) > [When I first came to New York City, what I was thrilled about was not the Empire State Building, or the Statue of Liberty;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gibbons/when-i-first-came-to-new-york-city-what-i-was-thrilled-about-was-not/) [Dave Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gibbons/) > [Basically, what Economic Hit Men are trained to do is to build up the American empire. To create situations where as many resources as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/basically-what-economic-hit-men-are-trained-to-do-is-to-build-up-the/) [John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/) > [“The Age of Intellect is accompanied by surprising advances in natural science. In the ninth century, for example, in the age of Mamun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bagot-glubb/the-age-of-intellect-is-accompanied-by-surprising-advances-in-natural/) [John Bagot Glubb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bagot-glubb/) > [“Naughty business, this Empire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/naughty-business-this-empire/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [In seeking an empire of liberty, Jefferson wished not only to expand the country's territorial holdings, but also to extend American institutions around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/in-seeking-an-empire-of-liberty-jefferson-wished-not-only-to-expand/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Emma Rothschild's magnificently researched and lucidly written book reveals the many connections and layers of empire without in any way undermining the less edifying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudrangshu-mukherjee/emma-rothschild-s-magnificently-researched-and-lucidly-written-book/) [Rudrangshu Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudrangshu-mukherjee/) [Browse all 433 Empire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Would you have a great empire? 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