Historical literature

Explore 186 quotes from the following genre: Historical literature

As soon as men decide that all means are permitted to fight an evil, then their good becomes indistinguishable from the evil that they set out to destroy.

Christopher Dawson

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Topic

End justifies the means Justifications and rationales

Author

Christopher Dawson

Source

The Judgment of the Nations

Genre

Historical literature

Language

English

Time

1942 1940s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Dawson, Christopher. The Judgment of the Nations. Sheed & Ward, 1942, pt. 1, ch. 1.

Men wiser and more learned than I have discerned in history a plot, a rhythm, a predetermined pattern. These harmonies are concealed from me. I can see only one emergency following upon another as wave follows upon wave.

H.A.L. Fisher

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Topic

Nature of history History

Author

H.A.L. Fisher

Source

A History of Europe

Genre

Historical literature

Language

English

Time

1935 1930s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Fisher, Herbert Albert Laurens. A History of Europe. Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1935, preface.

The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment.

Robert Maynard Hutchins

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Topic

Decline of democracy Political theory

Author

Robert Maynard Hutchins

Genre

Historical literature

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1954 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Hutchins, Robert Maynard. Great Books: The Foundation of a Liberal Education. Simon and Schuster, 1954.

America was discovered accidentally by a great seaman who was looking for something else; when discovered it was not wanted; and most of the exploration for the next fifty years was done in the hope of getting through or around it. America was named after a man who discovered no part of the New World. History is like that, very chancy.

Samuel Eliot Morison

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Topic

America Nature of history

Author

Samuel Eliot Morison

Source

The Oxford History of the American People

Genre

Historical literature

Language

English

Time

1965 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Morison, Samuel Eliot. The Oxford History of the American People. Oxford University Press, 1965, ch. 2.

Few have heard of Fra Luca Pacioli, the inventor of double-entry bookkeeping; but he has probably had much more influence on human life than has Dante or Michelangelo.

Herbert J. Muller

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Topic

Accounting Unsung heroes

Author

Herbert J. Muller

Source

Uses of the Past

Genre

Historical literature

Language

English

Time

1957 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Muller, Herbert. Uses of the Past: Profiles of Former Societies. Oxford University Press, 1952, ch. 8.

Art does not reproduce the visible; rather, it makes visible.

Paul Klee

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Topic

Art

Author

Paul Klee

Genre

Historical literature

Language

German

Time

1920 1920s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Klee, Paul. "Schöpferische Konfession [Creative Confession]." Tribüne der Kunst und der Zeit. Eine Schriftensammlung [Tribune of Art and Time. A Font Collection]. Berlin: Von Kasimir Edschmid, 1920.

Current Citation

Klee, Paul. "Creative Confession." Creative Confession and Other Writings. Tate, 2014.

The movement of the progressive societies has hitherto been a movement from Status to Contract.

Henry Maine

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Topic

Progress

Author

Henry Maine

Genre

Historical literature

Language

English

Time

1861 1860s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Maine, Henry. Ancient Law. London: John Murray, 1861, ch. 5.

It had been boldly predicted by some of the early Christians that the conversion of the world would lead to the establishment of perpetual peace. In looking back, with our present experience, we are driven to the melancholy conclusion that, instead of diminishing the number of wars, ecclesiastical influence has actually and very seriously increased it.

William E.H. Lecky

History of European Morals

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Topic

Christianity in Europe Christianity

Author

William E.H. Lecky

Source

History of European Morals

Genre

Historical literature

Language

English

Time

1869 1860s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Lecky, William Edward Hartpole. History of European Morals: From Augustus to Charlemagn. Vol. 2. London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1869, ch. 4.

Beauty is a gift of God.

Aristotle

Quoted in The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, by Diogenes Laërtius

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Topic

Beauty

Speaker

Aristotle

Author

Diogenes Laërtius

Source

The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

400 400s 3rd century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Aristotle. Quoted in Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, written by Diogenes Laertius. c. 240 AD, bk. 5, ch. 1, sect. 19.

Current Citation

Aristotle. Quoted in The Lives of Eminent Philosophers, written by Diogenes Laërtius, translated by Pamela Mensch, edited by James Miller. Oxford University Press, 2018, bk. 5, ch. 1, sect. 19.

We secure our friends not by accepting favors, but by doing them.

Pericles

Quoted in Funeral Oration, by Thucydides

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Topic

Allies

Speaker

Pericles

Author

Thucydides

Source

Funeral Oration History of the Peloponnesian War

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

430 BC 430s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Thucydides. The History of the Peloponnesian War. c. 431 BC, bk. 2.

Current Citation

Thucydides. The Peloponnesian War, translated by Martin Hammond. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 2.

Great successes are not won save by great risks.

Herodotus

Histories

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Topic

No risk it no biscuit Taking risks

Speaker

Xerxes

Author

Herodotus

Source

Histories

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

430 BC 430s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Herodotus. Ἱστορίαι [Histories]. c. 430 BC, bk. 7, ch. 50.

Current Citation

Herodotus. The Histories, translated by Robin Waterfield. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 7, ch. 50.

The worst kind of shame is that caused by parsimony or poverty.

Livy

Ab Urbe Condita

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Topic

Shame Poverty

Author

Livy

Source

Ab Urbe Condita

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Latin

Time

9 BC 1s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Livy. Ab urbe condita [From the Founding of the City]. c. 9 BC, bk. 34, ch. 4, sect. 13.

Current Citation

Livy. Rome and the Mediterranean: History of Rome from Its Foundation, books 31-45, translated by Henry Bettenson. Penguin Classics, 1976, bk. 34, ch. 4, sect. 13.

Pleasure is the beginning and the end of living happily.

Epicurus

Quoted in The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, by Diogenes Laërtius

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Topic

Hedonism Pleasure Happiness How to live

Speaker

Epicurus

Author

Diogenes Laërtius

Source

The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

400 400s 3rd century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Epicurus. Quoted in Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, written by Diogenes Laertius. c. 240 AD, bk. 10, ch. 1, sect. 128.

Current Citation

Epicurus. Quoted in The Lives of Eminent Philosophers, written by Diogenes Laërtius, translated by Pamela Mensch, edited by James Miller. Oxford University Press, 2018, bk. 10, ch. 1, sect. 128.

Now haste is ever the parent of failure.

Herodotus

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Topic

Haste Business

Author

Herodotus

Source

Histories

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

450 BC 450s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Herodotus. Ἱστορίαι [Histories]. c. 430 BC, bk. 7, ch. 10.

Current Citation

Herodotus. The Histories, translated by Robin Waterfield. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 7, ch. 10.

For famous men have the whole earth as their memorial.

Pericles

Quoted in Funeral Oration, by Thucydides

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Topic

Legacy

Speaker

Pericles

Author

Thucydides

Source

Funeral Oration History of the Peloponnesian War

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

430 BC 430s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Thucydides. The History of the Peloponnesian War. c. 431 BC, bk. 2.

Current Citation

Thucydides. The Peloponnesian War, translated by Martin Hammond. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 2.

A woman takes off her claim to respect along with her garments.

Herodotus

Histories

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Topic

Slut shaming Patriarchy

Speaker

Gyges

Author

Herodotus

Source

Histories

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

430 BC 430s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Herodotus. Ἱστορίαι [Histories]. c. 430 BC, bk. 1, ch. 8.

Current Citation

Herodotus. The Histories, translated by Robin Waterfield. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 1, ch. 8.

These times have the rare good fortune that you may think what you like and say what you think.

Tacitus

More information about this quote

Topic

Freedom of speech and expression

Author

Tacitus

Source

Histories (Tacitus)

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Latin

Time

110 BC 110s BC 2nd century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Tacitus. Historiae [Histories]. Venice, c. 110, bk. 1, ch. 1.

Current Citation

Tacitus. The Histories, translated by W. H. Fyfe. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 1, ch. 1.

Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.

Theophrastus

Quoted in The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, by Diogenes Laërtius

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Topic

Value of time Time

Speaker

Theophrastus

Author

Diogenes Laërtius

Source

The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

400 400s 3rd century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Theophrastus. Quoted in The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, written by Diogenes Laërtius. c. 240 AD, bk. 5, ch. 2.

Current Citation

Theophrastus. Quoted in The Lives of Eminent Philosophers, written by Diogenes Laërtius, translated by Pamela Mensch, edited by James Miller. Oxford University Press, 2018, bk. 5, ch. 2.

Corruption, the most infallible symptom of constitutional liberty.

Edward Gibbon

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

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Topic

Political corruption

Author

Edward Gibbon

Source

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

Genre

Historical literature

Language

English

Time

1781 1780s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Gibbon, Edward. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Vol. 2, London: Strahan & Cadell, 1781, ch. 21.

Current Citation

Gibbon, Edward. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: Volumes 1-6. Vol. 2. Everyman's Library, 2010, ch. 21.

There are men in the world who derive as stern an exaltation from the proximity of disaster and ruin, as others from success.

Winston Churchill

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Topic

Apocalypticism

Author

Winston Churchill

Source

The Malakand Field Force

Genre

Historical literature

Language

English

Time

1898 1890s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Churchill, Winston Spencer. The Story of the Malakand Field Force: An Episode of Frontier War. London: Pearson Longman, 1898, ch. 16.

Current Citation

Churchill, Winston Spencer. The Story of the Malakand Field Force. Dover Publications, 2010, ch. 16.