Home / Authors / Edward Gibbon

Edward Gibbon

Edward Gibbon Quotes

Historian

Edward Gibbon was an English historian renowned for his magnum opus, 'The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'. His work has had a profound impact on historical studies.

Filter quotes by topic

All Roman Empire History Humans May Mind Virtue Age Law People Ifs Empires War World Men Mankind Rome Might Reason Firsts Years

Famous Edward Gibbon Quotes

“Every man who rises above the common level has received two educations: the first from his teachers; the second, more personal and important, from himself.”

Men Firsts Two Important Levels Common Education Teacher Teaching Intellectual Every Man Rise Above

Book:Delphi Complete Works of Edward Gibbon (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Works of Edward Gibbon (Illustrated)

“It was among the ruins of the capitol that I first conceived the idea of a work which has amused and exercised nearly twenty years of my life.”

Years Firsts Ideas Twenties Ruins Amused Authorship Capitol

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

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

“Under a democratical government the citizens exercise the powers of sovereignty; and those powers will be first abused, and afterwards lost, if they are committed to an unwieldy multitude.”

Ifs Firsts Government Lost History Citizens Exercise Committed Multitudes Sovereignty Roman 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

“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.”

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

“Philosophy had instructed Julian to compare the advantages of action and retirement; but the elevation of his birth and the accidents of his life never allowed him the freedom of choice. He might perhaps sincerely have preferred the groves of the Academy and the society of Athens; but he was constrained, at first by the will, and afterwards by the injustice of Constantius, to expose his person and fame to the dangers of Imperial greatness; and to make himself accountable to the world and to posterity for the happiness of millions.”

Source: THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (All 6 Volumes): From the Height of the Roman Empire, the Age of Trajan and the Antonines - to the Fall of Byzantium; Including a Review of the Crusades, and the State of Rome during the Middle Ages

“Instead of pressing, with the foremost of the crowd, into the palace of Constantinople, Libanius calmly expected his arrival at Antioch; withdrew from court on the first symptoms of coldness and indifference; required a formal invitation for each visit; and taught his sovereign an important lesson, that he might command the obedience of a subject, but that he must deserve the attachment of a friend.”

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

“Yet the people, and even the clergy, incapable of forming any rational judgment of the business of peace and war, presumed to arraign the policy of Stilicho, who so often vanquished, so often surrounded, and so often dismissed the implacable enemy of the republic. The first moment of the public safety is devoted to gratitude and joy; but the second is diligently occupied by envy and calumny.”

Source: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Edited and Abridged): Abridged Edition

“Discussing the attempts of Augustus' generals to add to the extent of the Roman Empire early in his reign: The northern countries of Europe scarcely deserved the expense and labour of conquest. The forests and morasses of Germany were filled with a hardy race of barbarians, who despised life when it was separated from freedom; and though, on the first attack, they seemed to yield to the weight of the Roman power, they soon, by a signal act of despair, regained their independence, and reminded Augustus of the vicissitude of fortune.”

“Freedom is the first wish of our heart; freedom is the first blessing of nature; and unless we bind ourselves with voluntary chains of interest or passion, we advance in freedom as we advance in years”

Years Firsts Heart Passion Wish Interest Blessing Chains

Book:Men and Letters

Source: Men and Letters

“An extensive empire must be supported by a refined system of policy and oppression; in the centre, an absolute power, prompt in action and rich in resources; a swift and easy communication with the extreme parts; fortifications to check the first effort of rebellion; a regular administration to protect and punish; and a well-disciplined army to inspire fear, without provoking discontent and despair.”

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

“[The] discretion of the judge is the first engine of tyranny . . .”

Firsts Judging Tyranny Engines Discretion

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

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

“[But] the man who dares not expose his life in the defence of his children and his property, has lost in society the first and most active energies of nature.”

Men Firsts Children Energy Lost He Man Property Dare Active Defence

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

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

“It is the first care of a reformer to prevent any future reformation.”

Firsts Care Reformation Reformers

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

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

“The first of earthly blessings, independence.”

Firsts Blessing Independence Single Being Single

Book:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

Source: Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

“I will not dissemble the first emotions of joy on the recovery of my freedom, and, perhaps, the establishment of my fame. But my pride was soon humbled, and a sober melancholy was spread over my mind, by the idea that I had taken an everlasting leave of an old and agreeable companion, and that whatsoever might be the future date of my History, the life of the historian must be short and precarious.”

Mind Firsts Ideas Might Joy Emotion Taken Pride Future Fame Historical Spread Recovery Companion Melancholy Historian Establishment Sober Everlasting Precarious

Author:Edward Gibbon

“The first and indispensable requisite of happiness is a clear conscience.”

Firsts Happiness Clear Conscience Indispensable Clear Conscience

Book:The history of the decline and fall of the Roman empire, with notes by Milman and Guizot. Ed. by W. Smith

Source: The history of the decline and fall of the Roman empire, with notes by Milman and Guizot. Ed. by W. Smith

“Truth, naked, unblushing truth, the first virtue of all serious history, must be the sole recommendation of this personal narrative.”

Firsts History Virtue Serious Naked Narrative Sole Autobiography Recommendations

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

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

“It was Rome, on the fifteenth of October, 1764, as I sat musing amidst the ruins of the Capitol, while the barefooted friars were singing vespers in the Temple of Jupiter, that the idea of writing the decline and fall of the city first started to my mind.”

Writing Mind Firsts Ideas Fall Cities Singing Ruins Sat Temples Rome Decline October Capitol Jupiter Musings Friars

Author:Edward Gibbon