--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Take away ambition and vanity, and where…" description: "\"Take away ambition and vanity, and where will be your heroes and patriots?\" — Seneca the Younger" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/seneca-the-younger-219_ambition_take-away-ambition-and-vanity-and-where_585091.jpg" --- # Take away ambition and vanity, and where will be your… ![“Take away ambition and vanity, and where will be your heroes and patriots?” quote by Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/seneca-the-younger-219_ambition_take-away-ambition-and-vanity-and-where_585091.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/seneca-the-younger-219_ambition_take-away-ambition-and-vanity-and-where_585091.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/seneca-the-younger-219_ambition_take-away-ambition-and-vanity-and-where_585091.jpg) > “Take away ambition and vanity, and where will be your heroes and patriots?” [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Removing ambition and vanity leads to a loss of heroic and patriotic values, suggesting these traits fuel noble deeds. **In simple terms:** Without ambition, heroes and patriots disappear. Key Takeaway Cultivate healthy ambition. Themes virtue ambition heroism patriotism values Mood inspirational reflective serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - public service - personal goal setting - community leadership - character building Key Concepts Stoic ethics motivation civic duty Questions to Reflect On - How can ambition be balanced with humility? - What drives true heroism beyond personal glory? A Different Perspective Excessive ambition can become selfish or destructive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Patriot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriot/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) ## Related quotes > [When great men permit themselves to be cast down by the continuance of misfortune, they show us that they were only sustained by ambition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/when-great-men-permit-themselves-to-be-cast-down-by-the-continuance/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Ambition is only vanity ennobled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/ambition-is-only-vanity-ennobled/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“The great are deceived if they imagine they have appropriated ambition and vanity to themselves. These notable qualities flourish as notably in a country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/the-great-are-deceived-if-they-imagine-they-have-appropriated/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [Those whom the world has delighted to honor have oftener been influenced in their doings by ambition and vanity than by patriotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/those-whom-the-world-has-delighted-to-honor-have-oftener-been/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Men love their country, not because it is great, but because it is their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-love-their-country-not-because-it-is-great-but-because-it-is/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [A king is he who has laid fear aside and the base longings of an evil heart; whom ambition unrestrained and the fickle favor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-king-is-he-who-has-laid-fear-aside-and-the-base-longings-of-an-evil/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [“You despise books; you whose lives are absorbed in the vanities of ambition, the pursuit of pleasure or indolence; but remember that all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/you-despise-books-you-whose-lives-are-absorbed-in-the-vanities-of/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Like all of us sinners, General Betrishchev was endowed with many virtues and many defects. Both the one and the other were scattered through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/like-all-of-us-sinners-general-betrishchev-was-endowed-with-many/) [Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/) > [We have been through four and five generations of technology since the PATRIOT Act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/we-have-been-through-four-and-five-generations-of-technology-since/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [We all deserve credit for this new surveillance state that we live in because we the people voted for the Patriot Act. Democrats and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/we-all-deserve-credit-for-this-new-surveillance-state-that-we-live-in/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/what-country-can-preserve-its-liberties-if-its-rulers-are-not-warned/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [You have to make that stand out from the rest of the three hours. There are times when I'm having fun and being loose,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-buck/you-have-to-make-that-stand-out-from-the-rest-of-the-three-hours/) [Joe Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-buck/) > [It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. Do not ever let anyone claim to be a true American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-impossible-to-rightly-govern-the-world-without-god-and-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [I'm honored to be at the side of Michele Bachmann. She is a great congresswoman. She is a great human being, and she is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-voight/i-m-honored-to-be-at-the-side-of-michele-bachmann-she-is-a-great/) [Jon Voight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-voight/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) ## More by Seneca the Younger > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [It is for the superfluous we sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-for-the-superfluous-we-sweat/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Men trust rather to their eyes than to their ears; the effect of precepts is therefore slow and tedious, whilst that of examples is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-trust-rather-to-their-eyes-than-to-their-ears-the-effect-of/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [A great step towards independence is a good-humored stomach, one that is willing to endure rough treatment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-great-step-towards-independence-is-a-good-humored-stomach-one-that/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Men can be divided into 2 groups: one that goes ahead and achieves something, and one that comes after and criticizes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-can-be-divided-into-2-groups-one-that-goes-ahead-and-achieves/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Leisure without study is death, and the grave of a living man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/leisure-without-study-is-death-and-the-grave-of-a-living-man/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Such as the chain of causes we call Fate, such is the chain of wishes: one links on to another; the whole man is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/such-as-the-chain-of-causes-we-call-fate-such-is-the-chain-of-wishes/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [To rule yourself is the ultimate power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/to-rule-yourself-is-the-ultimate-power/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The road by precepts is tedious, by example, short and efficacious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-road-by-precepts-is-tedious-by-example-short-and-efficacious/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Misfortune is the test of a person's merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/misfortune-is-the-test-of-a-person-s-merit/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [He who does not want to die should not want to live. For life is tendered to us with the proviso of death. Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/he-who-does-not-want-to-die-should-not-want-to-live-for-life-is/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Let us not seek our disease out of ourselves; 'tis in us, and planted in our bowels; and the mere fact that we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/let-us-not-seek-our-disease-out-of-ourselves-tis-in-us-and-planted-in/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [After death there is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/after-death-there-is-nothing/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Adversity finds at last the man whom she has often passed by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/adversity-finds-at-last-the-man-whom-she-has-often-passed-by/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Hesitation is the best cure for anger. The first blows of anger are heavy, but if it waits, it will think again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/hesitation-is-the-best-cure-for-anger-the-first-blows-of-anger-are/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) [Explore all 872 Seneca the Younger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Take away ambition and vanity, and where will be your heroes and patriots?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seneca the Younger" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/take-away-ambition-and-vanity-and-where-will-be-your-heroes-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/take-away-ambition-and-vanity-and-where-will-be-your-heroes-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/seneca-the-younger-219_ambition_take-away-ambition-and-vanity-and-where_585091.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/seneca-the-younger-219_ambition_take-away-ambition-and-vanity-and-where_585091.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/seneca-the-younger-219_ambition_take-away-ambition-and-vanity-and-where_585091.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Take away ambition and vanity, and where will be your heroes and patriots?” — Seneca the Younger", "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": "Seneca the Younger", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Take away ambition and vanity, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/take-away-ambition-and-vanity-and-where-will-be-your-heroes-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/take-away-ambition-and-vanity-and-where-will-be-your-heroes-and/#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 } } ] } ```