--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Full of hopes beyond their power though…" description: "\"Full of hopes beyond their power though not beyond their ambition.\" — Thucydides" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e20/thucydides-2578_ambition_full-of-hopes-beyond-their-power-though_896323.png" --- # Full of hopes beyond their power though not beyond their… ![“Full of hopes beyond their power though not beyond their ambition.” quote by Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e20/thucydides-2578_ambition_full-of-hopes-beyond-their-power-though_896323.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e20/thucydides-2578_ambition_full-of-hopes-beyond-their-power-though_896323.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e20/thucydides-2578_ambition_full-of-hopes-beyond-their-power-though_896323.png) > “Full of hopes beyond their power though not beyond their ambition.” [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ambition can outpace ability, leading to overreach and disappointment. **In simple terms:** Ambition exceeds power. Key Takeaway Check limits of ambition. Themes ambition power overreach Mood reflective cautious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - political leadership - personal goals - team projects Key Concepts human nature hubris Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance ambition with realistic capability? - When does ambition become harmful? A Different Perspective Ambition may be necessary for progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) ## Related quotes > [“So long as we do not know definitely what we want, our forces will be scattered, and so long as our forces are scattered,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/so-long-as-we-do-not-know-definitely-what-we-want-our-forces-will-be/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [A lot of people are in a position of power because their ambition far exceeded their talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-lot-of-people-are-in-a-position-of-power-because-their-ambition-far/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I was 27, I didn't have a clue what was going on! At that age, to have that much power and to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-graham/when-i-was-27-i-didn-t-have-a-clue-what-was-going-on-at-that-age-to/) [Stephen Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-graham/) > [Movies have heart. Have mind. Have power. Have ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/movies-have-heart-have-mind-have-power-have-ambition/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [Tales of power and ambition and intrigue and betrayal and desire - when you're telling those in a big way, you automatically want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-willimon/tales-of-power-and-ambition-and-intrigue-and-betrayal-and-desire-when/) [Beau Willimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-willimon/) > [There is power in ambition, pleasure in luxury...but envy can gain nothing but vexation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/there-is-power-in-ambition-pleasure-in-luxury-but-envy-can-gain/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [One always hopes that you're going to have influence and staying power, but you never know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-frantz/one-always-hopes-that-you-re-going-to-have-influence-and-staying/) [Chris Frantz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-frantz/) > [“Your problem is in thinking the sky's the limit. Why set limits?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/your-problem-is-in-thinking-the-sky-s-the-limit-why-set-limits/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [I think the other misconceptions when the film came out, he was very upset that it was so widely released and so widely seen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-zwigoff/i-think-the-other-misconceptions-when-the-film-came-out-he-was-very/) [Terry Zwigoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-zwigoff/) > [People approach politicians with lot of hopes, particularly if they are elected representatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijayashanti/people-approach-politicians-with-lot-of-hopes-particularly-if-they/) [Vijayashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijayashanti/) > [“But what a feeling can come over a man just from seeing the things he believes in and hopes for symbolized in the concrete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/but-what-a-feeling-can-come-over-a-man-just-from-seeing-the-things-he/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [A tragic car accident put me in a wheelchair and dashed my hopes and dreams for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-cawthorn/a-tragic-car-accident-put-me-in-a-wheelchair-and-dashed-my-hopes-and/) [Madison Cawthorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-cawthorn/) > [Hopes are dreams of those who are awake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hopes-are-dreams-of-those-who-are-awake/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fashion comes out of the world in which you live, your needs, hopes and fantasies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurizio-gucci/fashion-comes-out-of-the-world-in-which-you-live-your-needs-hopes-and/) [Maurizio Gucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurizio-gucci/) ## More by Thucydides > [Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/be-convinced-that-to-be-happy-means-to-be-free-and-that-to-be-free/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [It is the habit of mankind to entrust to careless hope what they long for, and to use sovereign reason to thrust aside what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/it-is-the-habit-of-mankind-to-entrust-to-careless-hope-what-they-long/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [Boasting and bravado may exist in the breast even of the coward, if he is successful through a mere lucky hit; but a just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/boasting-and-bravado-may-exist-in-the-breast-even-of-the-coward-if-he/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [Contempt for an assailant is best shown by bravery in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/contempt-for-an-assailant-is-best-shown-by-bravery-in-action/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [The secret of happiness is freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/the-secret-of-happiness-is-freedom/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [And it is certain that those who do not yield to their equals, who keep terms with their superiors, and are moderate towards their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/and-it-is-certain-that-those-who-do-not-yield-to-their-equals-who/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [The strong do what they have to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/the-strong-do-what-they-have-to-do-and-the-weak-accept-what-they-have/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [It is useless to attack men who could not be controlled even if conquered, while failure would leave us in an even worse position...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/it-is-useless-to-attack-men-who-could-not-be-controlled-even-if/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [War is an evil thing; but to submit to the dictation of other states is worse… Freedom, if we hold fast to it, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/war-is-an-evil-thing-but-to-submit-to-the-dictation-of-other-states/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [Men do not rest content with parrying the attacks of a superior, but often strike the first blow to prevent the attack being made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/men-do-not-rest-content-with-parrying-the-attacks-of-a-superior-but/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [As for democracy, the men of sense among us knew what it was, and I perhaps as well as any, as I have more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/as-for-democracy-the-men-of-sense-among-us-knew-what-it-was-and-i/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [War is a matter not so much of arms as of money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/war-is-a-matter-not-so-much-of-arms-as-of-money/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [Amassing of wealth is an opportunity for good deeds, not hubris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/amassing-of-wealth-is-an-opportunity-for-good-deeds-not-hubris/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [People get into the habit of entrusting the things they desire to wishful thinking, and subjecting things they don't desire to exhaustive thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/people-get-into-the-habit-of-entrusting-the-things-they-desire-to/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [Hope is an expensive commodity. It makes better sense to be prepared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/hope-is-an-expensive-commodity-it-makes-better-sense-to-be-prepared/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) [Explore all 160 Thucydides quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) ## 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": "Full of hopes beyond their power though not beyond their ambition.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thucydides" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/full-of-hopes-beyond-their-power-though-not-beyond-their-ambition/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/full-of-hopes-beyond-their-power-though-not-beyond-their-ambition/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e20/thucydides-2578_ambition_full-of-hopes-beyond-their-power-though_896323.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e20/thucydides-2578_ambition_full-of-hopes-beyond-their-power-though_896323.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e20/thucydides-2578_ambition_full-of-hopes-beyond-their-power-though_896323.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Full of hopes beyond their power though not beyond their ambition.” — Thucydides", "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": "Thucydides", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Full of hopes beyond their power...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/full-of-hopes-beyond-their-power-though-not-beyond-their-ambition/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/full-of-hopes-beyond-their-power-though-not-beyond-their-ambition/#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 } } ] } ```