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Edward Gibbon

Edward Gibbon Quotes

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Famous Edward Gibbon Quotes

“In the second century of the Christian era, the Empire of Rome comprehended the fairest part of the earth, and the most civilised portion of mankind. The frontiers of that extensive monarchy were guarded by ancient renown and disciplined valour. The gentle but powerful influence of laws and manners had gradually cemented the union of the provinces. Their peaceful inhabitants enjoyed and abused the advantages of wealth and luxury.”

EarthChristianLawWealthPowerfulHistoryInfluenceMankindCenturyAdvantageUnionsAncientPeacefulLuxuryEnjoyedMannersErasGentleEmpiresRomePortionsFrontiersMonarchyProvincesRoman EmpireGuardedCivilisedRenownValourFall Of Rome
Book: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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“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
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“During the games of the Circus, he had, imprudently or designedly, performed the manumission of a slave in the presence of the consul. The moment he was reminded that he had trespassed on the jurisdiction of another magistrate, he condemned himself to pay a fine of ten pounds of gold, and embraced this public occasion of declaring to the world that he was subject, like the rest of his fellow-citizens, to the laws, and even to the forms, of the republic.”

WorldMomentsFormLawGamesPayHistorySubjectsFineCitizensTenGoldFellowsSlaveOccasionsPoundsRepublicCircusRoman EmpireDeclaringMagistratesJurisdiction
Book:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: Edited in Seven Volumes with Introduction, Notes, Appendices, and Index
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“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
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“The orator, who may be silent without danger, may praise without difficulty and without reluctance; and posterity will confess that the character of Theodosius might furnish the subject of a sincere and ample panegyric. The wisdom of his laws and the success of his arms rendered his administration respectable in the eyes both of his subjects and of his enemies. He loved and practised the virtues of domestic life, which seldom hold their residence in the palaces of kings.”

MayCharacterMightEyeLawEnemyHistoryVirtueSubjectsDangerArmsKingsDifficultyPraiseSilentAdministrationSincerePalacesPosterityRespectableRoman EmpireOratorsReluctanceResidenceDomestic Life
Book:The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume II: A.D. 395 to A.D. 1185 (A Modern Library E-Book)
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“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
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“In the purer ages of the commonwealth, the use of arms was reserved for those ranks of citizens who had a country to love, a property to defend, and some share in enacting those laws which it was their interest, as well as duty, to maintain. But in proportion as the public freedom was lost in extent of conquest, war was gradually improved into an art, and degraded into a trade.”

WellsArtWarCountryUseAgeLawLostInterestShareDutyArmsCitizensTradePropertyProportionConquestReservedCommonwealth
Book: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
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“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.”

MenCountryStatesLawStepsVictoryRaisedCivilizedSavagesEvery StepSinkingColonyBarbarismDiscordCivilized SocietyIntestinesCarthagePhoenicians
Book: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
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“A nation ignorant of the equal benefits of liberty and law, must be awed by the flashes of arbitrary power: the cruelty of a despot will assume the character of justice; his profusion, of liberality; his obstinacy, of firmness.”

CharacterLawNationsJusticeLibertyEqualBenefitsAssumingIgnorantCrueltyFlashArbitraryFirmnessDespotsObstinacyLiberality
Book:The Collected Works of Edward Gibbon: Historical Works, Autobiographical Writings and Private Letters, Including The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
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“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
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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 urgent consideration of the public safety may undoubtedly authorize the violation of every positive law. How far that or any other consideration may operate to dissolve the natural obligations of humanity and justice, is a doctrine of which I still desire to remain ignorant.”

MayStillsLawDesireHumanityNaturalJusticeHistorySafetyObligationDoctrineIgnorantConsiderationUrgentViolationRoman EmpireVery PositivePublic Safety
Book:The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire:
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