--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When God has once begun to throw down the…" description: "\"When God has once begun to throw down the prosperous, He overthrows them altogether: such is the end of the mighty.\" — Seneca the Younger" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/seneca-the-younger-219_ends_when-god-has-once-begun-to-throw-down-th_3213332.jpg" --- # When God has once begun to throw down the prosperous, He… ![“When God has once begun to throw down the prosperous, He overthrows them altogether: such is the end of the mighty.” quote by Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/seneca-the-younger-219_ends_when-god-has-once-begun-to-throw-down-th_3213332.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/seneca-the-younger-219_ends_when-god-has-once-begun-to-throw-down-th_3213332.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/seneca-the-younger-219_ends_when-god-has-once-begun-to-throw-down-th_3213332.jpg) > “When God has once begun to throw down the prosperous, He overthrows them altogether: such is the end of the mighty.” [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. Divine justice overturns the proud, leading to their downfall. **In simple terms:** Pride invites ruin. Key Takeaway Practice humility. Themes pride justice humility fate Mood reflective philosophical Type wisdom ethical When to use this quote - political power - business leadership - personal ambition - social status Key Concepts Stoicism ethics philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How does humility affect your decisions? - Can you see justice in setbacks? A Different Perspective Some view misfortune as random, not moral. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Altogether End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altogether-end-6011990/) [End Mighty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-mighty-6011989/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Overthrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overthrows-1936025/) [Overthrows Altogether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overthrows-altogether-6011988/) [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) [Prosperous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperous/) [Prosperous Overthrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperous-overthrows-6011987/) ## Related quotes > [ A revolution is not a dinner party \[...\] A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/a-revolution-is-not-a-dinner-party-a-revolution-is-an-insurrection-an/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [If the subject's easy we may all be wise; What stands unfirm, the smallest force overthrows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/if-the-subject-s-easy-we-may-all-be-wise-what-stands-unfirm-the/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be so refined, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-revolution-is-not-a-dinner-party-or-writing-an-essay-or-painting-a-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Revolution is not a dinner party, nor an essay, nor a painting, nor a piece of embroidery; it cannot be advanced softly, gradually, carefully,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-pandita/revolution-is-not-a-dinner-party-nor-an-essay-nor-a-painting-nor-a/) [Rahul Pandita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-pandita/) > [“When I prepare, then I become pregnant... and then I produce. When I produce, then I praise the Lord... and then I become prosperous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/when-i-prepare-then-i-become-pregnant-and-then-i-produce-when-i/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [If a man were called to fix the period in the history of the world during which the condition of the human race was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/if-a-man-were-called-to-fix-the-period-in-the-history-of-the-world/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [“An idealist is someone who helps other people to be prosperous”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-henry-ford/an-idealist-is-someone-who-helps-other-people-to-be-prosperous/) [Ford Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-henry-ford/) > [The shocking truth about prosperity is that it is shockingly right instead of shockingly wrong for you to be prosperous. Please note that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ponder/the-shocking-truth-about-prosperity-is-that-it-is-shockingly-right/) [Catherine Ponder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ponder/) > [Expensive, well-executed, and familiar ads convince the investors, as nothing in the black and white tables of assets and debits can, that the company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schudson/expensive-well-executed-and-familiar-ads-convince-the-investors-as/) [Michael Schudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schudson/) > [I preach that anybody can improve their lives. I think God wants us to be prosperous. I think he wants us to be happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/i-preach-that-anybody-can-improve-their-lives-i-think-god-wants-us-to/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Democratic leaders, whose power is ultimately dependent on popular support, are held accountable for failing to improve the lives of their citizens. Therefore, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natan-sharansky/democratic-leaders-whose-power-is-ultimately-dependent-on-popular/) [Natan Sharansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natan-sharansky/) > [By hook or by crook, we're going to make sure that when I leave this office, that the country is more prosperous, more people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/by-hook-or-by-crook-we-re-going-to-make-sure-that-when-i-leave-this/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [If I were to offer advice to any president of the United States, it would be this: do whatever you can do to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/if-i-were-to-offer-advice-to-any-president-of-the-united-states-it/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Atheism can benefit no class of people; neither the unfortunate, whom it bereaves of hope, nor the prosperous, whose joys it renders insipid, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-ois-ren-de-chateaubriand/atheism-can-benefit-no-class-of-people-neither-the-unfortunate-whom/) [François-René de Chateaubriand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-ois-ren-de-chateaubriand/) > [Jesus was the poorest of the poor. Roman Catholicism, which claims to be His church, is the richest of the rich, the wealthiest institution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avro-manhattan/jesus-was-the-poorest-of-the-poor-roman-catholicism-which-claims-to/) [Avro Manhattan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avro-manhattan/) ## 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 Ends quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The end is nothing; the road is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/the-end-is-nothing-the-road-is-all/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Dating someone on the opposite end of the happy spectrum teaches you an incredible amount of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/dating-someone-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-happy-spectrum-teaches-you/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [it is the brevity of life which makes it tolerable; its experiences have value because they have an end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winifred-holtby/it-is-the-brevity-of-life-which-makes-it-tolerable-its-experiences/) [Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-holtby/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Believe to the end, even if all men went astray and you were left the only one faithful; bring your offering even then and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/believe-to-the-end-even-if-all-men-went-astray-and-you-were-left-the/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [When the amount of change externally exceeds the amount of change internally, the end is in sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/when-the-amount-of-change-externally-exceeds-the-amount-of-change/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The beginning of love is all about the butterflies, but the end of it is when you can't get out of bed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/the-beginning-of-love-is-all-about-the-butterflies-but-the-end-of-it/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) [Browse all 20,790 Ends quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When God has once begun to throw down the prosperous, He overthrows them altogether: such is the end of the mighty.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seneca the Younger" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/when-god-has-once-begun-to-throw-down-the-prosperous-he-overthrows/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ends" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/when-god-has-once-begun-to-throw-down-the-prosperous-he-overthrows/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/seneca-the-younger-219_ends_when-god-has-once-begun-to-throw-down-th_3213332.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/seneca-the-younger-219_ends_when-god-has-once-begun-to-throw-down-th_3213332.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c1/seneca-the-younger-219_ends_when-god-has-once-begun-to-throw-down-th_3213332.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When God has once begun to throw down the prosperous, He overthrows them altogether: such is the end of the…” — 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": "When God has once begun to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/when-god-has-once-begun-to-throw-down-the-prosperous-he-overthrows/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/when-god-has-once-begun-to-throw-down-the-prosperous-he-overthrows/#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 } } ] } ```