--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Kings should disdain to die, and only…" description: "\"Kings should disdain to die, and only disappear.\" — Thomas de Quincey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/thomas-de-quincey-7896_dies_kings-should-disdain-to-die-and-only-dis_1587311.jpg" --- # Kings should disdain to die, and only disappear. ![“Kings should disdain to die, and only disappear.” quote by Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/thomas-de-quincey-7896_dies_kings-should-disdain-to-die-and-only-dis_1587311.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/thomas-de-quincey-7896_dies_kings-should-disdain-to-die-and-only-dis_1587311.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/thomas-de-quincey-7896_dies_kings-should-disdain-to-die-and-only-dis_1587311.jpg) > “Kings should disdain to die, and only disappear.” [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Valuing a dignified death over mere disappearance emphasizes the importance of a meaningful end. **In simple terms:** A noble death matters more than fading away. Key Takeaway Seek purpose in how you finish. Themes mortality honor legacy Mood somber thoughtful Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - old age - terminal illness - career retirement - political exile Key Concepts existentialism stoicism Questions to Reflect On - Is a quiet end always preferable? - What defines a meaningful death? A Different Perspective Some may view disappearance as a form of freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disdain/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) ## Related quotes > [What, my dear Lady Disdain! are you yet living? Beatrice: Is it possible disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/what-my-dear-lady-disdain-are-you-yet-living-beatrice-is-it-possible/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I think that's what we're all most terrified about: that we'll just die and disappear and we'll leave no trace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/i-think-that-s-what-we-re-all-most-terrified-about-that-we-ll-just/) [Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/) > [If you were not born in this world, there would be no need to die. To be born in this world is to die,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/if-you-were-not-born-in-this-world-there-would-be-no-need-to-die-to/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [Death is, in some ways, unacceptable. It's just an astonishing fact of our being here that we die; but I think worse than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/death-is-in-some-ways-unacceptable-it-s-just-an-astonishing-fact-of/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [We all die and disappear, but that's because the mechanism of the world itself is built on destruction and loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/we-all-die-and-disappear-but-that-s-because-the-mechanism-of-the/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I have a particular disdain for Islamic extremism, and of course, in both 'The Kite Runner' and 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' that's obvious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-have-a-particular-disdain-for-islamic-extremism-and-of-course-in/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [It seems I have a hard time being attracted to someone unless I respect what they do on some level. Otherwise, I would feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-stoltz/it-seems-i-have-a-hard-time-being-attracted-to-someone-unless-i/) [Eric Stoltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-stoltz/) > [Marriage is a reflection of your life in general: how you treat people, how you argue, how secure you are in your own thoughts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/marriage-is-a-reflection-of-your-life-in-general-how-you-treat-people/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [In each human heart terror survives The ravin it has gorged: the loftiest fear All that they would disdain to think were true: Hypocrisy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/in-each-human-heart-terror-survives-the-ravin-it-has-gorged-the/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Nothing is more painful to me than the disdain with which people treat second-rate authors, as if there were room only for the first-raters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/nothing-is-more-painful-to-me-than-the-disdain-with-which-people/) [Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/) > [ “You \[demagogues\] are like the fishers for eels; in still waters they catch nothing, but if they thoroughly stir up the slime, their fishing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/you-demagogues-are-like-the-fishers-for-eels-in-still-waters-they/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [Law 36: Disdain things you cannot have: Ignoring them is the best revenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-48-laws-of-power/law-36-disdain-things-you-cannot-have-ignoring-them-is-the-best/) [The 48 Laws Of Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-48-laws-of-power/) > [For he who is not deaf, half a silence is enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-malfatti/for-he-who-is-not-deaf-half-a-silence-is-enough/) [Jean-Paul Malfatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-malfatti/) > [If you increase the number of rockets you build and you buy, then it's the scale of the economy, the price is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-increase-the-number-of-rockets-you-build-and-you-buy-then-it-s/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-dangerous-and-fateful-presumption-besides-the-absurd-temerity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Thomas de Quincey > [“A long, loud, and canorous peal of laughter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/a-long-loud-and-canorous-peal-of-laughter/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [Out of the ruined lodge and forgotten mansion, bowers that are trodden under foot, and pleasure-houses that are dust, the poet calls up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/out-of-the-ruined-lodge-and-forgotten-mansion-bowers-that-are-trodden/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [It is most absurdly said, in popular language, of any man, that he is disguised in liquor; for, on the contrary, most men are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/it-is-most-absurdly-said-in-popular-language-of-any-man-that-he-is/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [Everlasting farewells! and again, and yet again reverberated everlasting farewells!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/everlasting-farewells-and-again-and-yet-again-reverberated/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [The burden of the incommunicable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/the-burden-of-the-incommunicable/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [Paint me an eternal tea-pot, for I usually drink tea from eight o'clock at night to four o'clock in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/paint-me-an-eternal-tea-pot-for-i-usually-drink-tea-from-eight-o/) [Thomas De Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [It is one of the misfortunes in life that one must read thousands of books only to discover that one need not have read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/it-is-one-of-the-misfortunes-in-life-that-one-must-read-thousands-of/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [As is the inventor of murder, and the father of art, Cain must have been a man of first-rate genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/as-is-the-inventor-of-murder-and-the-father-of-art-cain-must-have/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [Surely everyone is aware of the divine pleasures which attend a wintry fireside; candles at four o'clock, warm hearthrugs, tea, a fair tea-maker, shutters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/surely-everyone-is-aware-of-the-divine-pleasures-which-attend-a/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [Flowers that are so pathetic in their beauty, frail as the clouds, and in their coloring as gorgeous as the heavens, had through thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/flowers-that-are-so-pathetic-in-their-beauty-frail-as-the-clouds-and/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [Cows are amongst the gentlest of breathing creatures; none show more passionate tenderness to their young when deprived of them; and, in short, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/cows-are-amongst-the-gentlest-of-breathing-creatures-none-show-more/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [“If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he next comes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/if-once-a-man-indulges-himself-in-murder-very-soon-he-comes-to-think/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [For tea, though ridiculed by those who are naturally coarse in their nervous sensibilities, or are become so from wine-drinking, and are not susceptible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/for-tea-though-ridiculed-by-those-who-are-naturally-coarse-in-their/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [“the tyranny of the human face”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/the-tyranny-of-the-human-face/) [Thomas De Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [Allow me to offer my congratulations on the truly admirable skill you have shown in keeping clear of the mark. Not to have hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/allow-me-to-offer-my-congratulations-on-the-truly-admirable-skill-you/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) [Explore all 86 Thomas de Quincey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) ## More Dies quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [Don't even think for a moment that you are not going to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse-rinpoche/don-t-even-think-for-a-moment-that-you-are-not-going-to-die/) [Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse-rinpoche/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Violence is not necessary to destroy a civilization. Each civilization dies from indifference toward the unique values which created it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/violence-is-not-necessary-to-destroy-a-civilization-each-civilization/) [Nicolas Gomez Davila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [Certainly, it is. Love is love, and loss is loss. We all love, and we all die, and everyone suffers the pain of grieving.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynsay-sands/certainly-it-is-love-is-love-and-loss-is-loss-we-all-love-and-we-all/) [Lynsay Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynsay-sands/) > [“When he stops giving you butterflies, Love dies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-blanchard/when-he-stops-giving-you-butterflies-love-dies/) Michelle Blanchard > [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [I don't want to just die a normal death, I wanna be killed twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/i-don-t-want-to-just-die-a-normal-death-i-wanna-be-killed-twice/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) > [My father thrives on fear. You know that prayer If I should die before I wake? I had sheets that said that!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/my-father-thrives-on-fear-you-know-that-prayer-if-i-should-die-before/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [This mind is a prison. It cannot find any freedom anywhere. It must die before freedom comes to you. But we have taken the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/this-mind-is-a-prison-it-cannot-find-any-freedom-anywhere-it-must-die/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [If you’re going to die on screen, you’ve got to be strong and in good health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/if-you-re-going-to-die-on-screen-you-ve-got-to-be-strong-and-in-good/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) Browse all 7,484 Dies quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Kings should disdain to die, and only disappear.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas de Quincey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/kings-should-disdain-to-die-and-only-disappear/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/kings-should-disdain-to-die-and-only-disappear/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/thomas-de-quincey-7896_dies_kings-should-disdain-to-die-and-only-dis_1587311.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/thomas-de-quincey-7896_dies_kings-should-disdain-to-die-and-only-dis_1587311.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/thomas-de-quincey-7896_dies_kings-should-disdain-to-die-and-only-dis_1587311.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Kings should disdain to die, and only disappear.” — Thomas de Quincey", "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": "Thomas de Quincey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Kings should disdain to die, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/kings-should-disdain-to-die-and-only-disappear/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/kings-should-disdain-to-die-and-only-disappear/#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 } } ] } ```