Quotessence
Home / Books / The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

Book by Edward Gibbon · 14 quotes · Roman Empire, History, May

Filter quotes by topic

AllRoman EmpireHistoryMayLawAgeHumansVirtueMindReasonFirstsIfsMenMightEmpiresHas BeensMankindSubjectsWarYearsBarbarians

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Quotes

“But how shall we excuse the supine inattention of the Pagan and philosophic world to those evidences which were presented by the hand of Omnipotence, not to their reason, but to their senses? During the age of Christ, of his apostles, and their first disciples, the doctrine which they preached was confirmed by innumerable prodigies. The lame walked, the blind saw, the sick were healed, the dead were raised, daemons were expelled, and the laws of Nature were frequently suspended for the benefit of the church.”

WorldFirstsReasonHandsAgeLawChristChurchHistorySawsBenefitsEvidenceSickBlindRaisedExcuseSensesDoctrineDiscipleLaws Of NatureHealedApostlesPaganRoman EmpireLameSuspendedOmnipotencePhilosophicProdigiesInattention
Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Create image

“This variety of objects will suspend, for some time, the course of the narrative; but the interruption will be censured only by those readers who are insensible to the importance of laws and manners, while they peruse, with eager curiosity, the transient intrigues of a court, or the accidental event of a battle.”

LawCoursesHistoryEventsObjectsReaderBattleImportanceCourtCuriosityVarietyMannersNarrativeIntrigueRoman EmpireTransientInterruptionsInsensible
Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Create image

“Fashion was the only law, pleasure the only pursuit, and the splendour of dress and furniture was the only distinction of the citizens of Antioch. The arts of luxury were honoured; the serious and manly virtues were the subject of ridicule; and the contempt for female modesty and reverent age announced the universal corruption of the capital of the East.”

ArtAgeLawPleasureHistoryVirtueSubjectsFashionSeriousCitizensFemaleUniversalDressesCorruptionEastPursuitLuxuryDistinctionContemptModestyRidiculeFurnitureManlyRoman EmpireSplendourAntioch
Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Create image

“The laws of war, that restrain the exercise of national rapine and murder, are founded on two principles of substantial interest: the knowledge of the permanent benefits which may be obtained by a moderate use of conquest, and a just apprehension lest the desolation which we inflict on the enemy's country may be retaliated on our own. But these considerations of hope and fear are almost unknown in the pastoral state of nations.”

MayTwoWarCountryStatesUsePastLawNationsInterestEnemyPrinciplesHistoryExerciseBenefitsMurderPermanentConsiderationConquestModeratesApprehensionRoman EmpireDesolationHopes And Fears
Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Create image

“In the most rigorous [Roman] laws, a wife was condemned to support a gamester, a drunkard, or a libertine, unless he were guilty of homicide, poison, or sacrilege, in which cases the marriage, as it should seem, might have been dissolved by the hand of the executioner.”

ShouldHas BeensHandsSeemsMightLawCasesSupportWifeGuiltyPoisonMight Have BeenDrunkardsHomicideExecutionersLibertineSacrilege
Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Create image

“Women [in ancient Rome] were condemned to the perpetual tutelage of parents, husbands, or guardians; a sex created to please and obey was never supposed to have attained the age of reason and experience. Such, at least, was the stern and haughty spirit of the ancient law . . .”

ReasonAgeLawSpiritSexParentPleaseHusbandAncientRomePerpetualGuardianAncient RomeHaughtyAge Of ReasonTutelage
Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Create image