The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

“The virtue of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was of a severer and more laborious kind. It was the well-earned harvest of many a learned conference, of many a patient lecture, and many a midnight lucubration. At the age of twelve years, he embraced the rigid system of the Stoics, which taught him to submit his body to his mind, his passions to his reason; to consider virtue as the only good, vice as the only evil, all things external as things indifferent.”

YearsMindWellsKindReasonBodyAgePassionEvilHistoryVirtueTaughtAll ThingsPatientVicesTwelveSubmitIndifferentHarvestMidnightConferencesLecturesRoman Empire

Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

Source: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

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“It is incumbent on us diligently to remember that the kingdom of heaven was promised to the poor in spirit, and that minds afflicted by calamity and the contempt of mankind cheerfully listen to the divine promise of future happiness; while, on the contrary, the fortunate are satisfied with the possession of this world; and the wise abuse in doubt and dispute their vain superiority of reason and knowledge.”

WorldMindReasonRememberSpiritHeavenPoorHistoryDoubtWiseMankindThis WorldDivinePromiseAbusePossessionContrarySatisfiedKingdomsVainFortunateContemptSuperiorityDisputesCalamityRoman EmpireKingdom Of HeavenIncumbentsPoor In SpiritFuture Happiness

Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

Source: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

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“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

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“Genius may anticipate the season of maturity; but in the education of a people, as in that of an individual, memory must be exercised, before the powers of reason and fancy can be expanded: nor may the artist hope to equal or surpass, till he has learned to imitate, the works of his predecessors.”

PeopleMayReasonArtistIndividualMemoriesGeniusEqualSeasonsMaturityFancyAnticipatePredecessors

Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

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“There is nothing perhaps more adverse to nature and reason than to hold in obedience remote countries and foreign nations, in opposition to their inclination and interest.”

CountryReasonNationsInterestObedienceOppositionInclinationAdverse

Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

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“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

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“The peace of the Eastern church was invaded by a swarm of fanatics [monks], incapable of fear, or reason, or humanity; and the Imperial troops acknowledged, without shame, that they were much less apprehensive of an encounter with the fiercest Barbarians.”

ReasonHumanityChurchShameEncountersTroopsIncapableEasternMonkFanaticsBarbariansSwarms

Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

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“The desire of perfection became the ruling passion of their soul; and it is well known, that while reason embraces a cold mediocrity, our passions hurry us, with rapid violence, over the space which lies between the most opposite extremes.”

WellsSoulReasonLyingDesirePassionSpaceKnownViolenceColdPerfectionOppositesEmbraceExtremesMediocrityWell KnownRulingRapidsRuling Passion

Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

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“[The] emperor of the West, the feeble and dissolute Valentinian, [had] reached his thirty-fifth year without attaining the age of reason or courage.”

YearsReasonAgeWestThirtyFifthEmperorAge Of Reason

Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

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“According to the law of custom, and perhaps of reason, foreign travel completes the education of an English gentleman.”

ReasonLawGentlemanCustomsForeign TravelEnglish Gentleman

Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

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