Military glory – that attractive rainbow that rises in showers of blood.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
The man who is completely wise and virtuous has no need of glory, except so far as it disposes and eases his way to action by the greater trust that it procures him.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
As to be perfectly just is an attribute of the divine nature, to be so to the utmost of our abilities is the glory of man.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
Glory is a heavy burden, a murdering poison, and to bear it is an art. And to have that art is rare.
—Oriana Fallaci (1929–2006) Italian Journalist, Historian
The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
—Thomas Gray (1716–71) English Poet, Book Collector
By skillful conduct and artificial means a person may make a sort of name for himself; but if the inner jewel be wanting, all is vanity, and will not last.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
True glory takes root, and even spreads; all false pretences, like flowers, fall to the ground; nor can any counterfeit last long.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Sudden glory is the passion which makes those grimaces called laughter.
—Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) English Political Philosopher
The chief glory of every people arises from its authors.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Glory is largely a theatrical concept. There is no striving for glory without a vivid awareness of an audience.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
Glory built on selfish principles is shame and guilt.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
True glory consists in doing what deserves to be written; in writing what deserves to be read; and in so living as to make the world happier and better for our living in it.
—Pliny the Elder (23–79CE) Roman Statesman, Scholar
The greater the difficulty, the greater the glory.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Glory is like a circle in the water, which never ceaseth to enlarge itself, till, by broad spreading, it disperse to naught.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
Is it not passing brave to be a King and ride in triumph through Persepolis?
—Christopher Marlowe (1564–93) English Playwright, Poet, Translator
There’s no glory like those who save their country.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
There is no greater glory than love, nor any greater punishment than jealousy.
—Lope de Vega (1562–1635) Spanish Playwright, Poet
The glory of young men is their strength, and the beauty of old men is their gray head.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
The deed is everything, the glory naught.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Glory paid to our ashes comes too late.
—Martial (40–104) Ancient Roman Latin Poet
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill,
He treasures up His bright designs,
And works His sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan His work in vain:
God is His own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
Glory is not a conceit. It is not a decoration for valor. Glory belongs to the act of being constant to something greater than yourself, to a cause, to your principles, to the people on whom you rely and who rely on you in rerun.
—John McCain (1936–2018) American Republican-party Politician
Glory is the child of peril.
—Tobias Smollett (1721–71) Scottish Poet, Novelist
I have touched the highest point of all my greatness, and from that full meridian of my glory I haste now to my setting.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Fame is not the glory; virtue is the goal, and fame only a messenger to bring more to the fold.
—Vanna Bonta (1958–2014) Italian-American Novelist, Poet, Actress
He that first likened glory to a shadow, did better than he was aware of; they are both vain.—Glory, also, like the shadow, goes sometimes before the body, and sometimes in length infinitely exceeds it.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
We are Divine enough to ask and we are important enough to receive.
—Wayne Dyer (b.1940) American Motivational Writer, Author, Motivational Speaker
There is many a boy here today who looks on war as all glory, but boys, it is all hell.
—William Tecumseh Sherman (1820–91) American Military Leader, Businessperson, Educator
Great actions, the lustre of which dazzles us, are represented by politicians as the effects of deep design; whereas they are commonly the effects of caprice and passion. Thus the war between Augustus and Antony, supposed to be owing to their ambition to give a master to the world, arose probably from jealousy.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Two things ought to teach us to think but meanly of human glory—that the very best have had their calumniators, and the very worst their panegyrists.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
What is called vainglory is self-satisfaction, nourished by nothing but the good opinion of the multitude, so that when that is withdrawn, the satisfaction, that is to say, the chief good which every one loves, ceases. For this reason those who glory in the good opinion of the multitude anxiously and with daily care strive, labour, and struggle to preserve their fame. For the multitude is changeable and fickle, so that fame, if it be not preserved, soon passes away. As every one, moreover, is desirous to catch the praises of the people, one person will readily destroy the fame of another; and, consequently, as the object of contention is what is commonly thought to be the highest good, a great desire arises on the part of every one to keep down his fellows by every possible means, and he who at last comes off conqueror boasts more because he has injured another person than because he has profited himself. This glory of self-satisfaction, therefore, is indeed vain, for it is really no glory.
—Baruch Spinoza (1632–77) Dutch Philosopher, Theologian
Let us not disdain glory too much; nothing is finer, except virtue. The height of happiness would be to unite both in this life.
—Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand (1768–1848) French Writer, Academician, Statesman
The final event to himself has been, that as he rose like a rocket, he fell like the stick.
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809) American Nationalist, Author, Pamphleteer, Radical, Inventor
Death is nothing, but to live defeated and inglorious is to die daily.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
No man ever was glorious, who was not laborious.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Only on paper has humanity yet achieved glory, beauty, truth, knowledge, virtue, and abiding love.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Glory is the shadow of virtue.
—Latin Proverb
There is no road of flowers leading to glory
—Jean de La Fontaine (1621–95) French Poet, Short Story Writer
Who tracks the steps of glory to the grave?
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
Avoid shame but do not seek glory—nothing so expensive as glory.
—Sydney Smith (1771–1845) English Clergyman, Essayist, Wit
You told me, I remember, glory, built
On selfish principles, is shame and guilt;
The deeds that men admire as half divine,
Stark naught, because corrupt in their design.
Strange doctrine this! that without scruple tears
The laurel that the very lightning spares;
Brings down the warrior
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
All glory comes from daring to begin.
—Eugene F. Ware
Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
God gave man the challenge of raw materials—not the ease of finished things. He left the pictures unpainted and the music unsung and the problems unsolved, that man might know the joys and glories of creation.
—Unknown
The love of glory gives an immense stimulus.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
Like madness is the glory of this life As this pomp shows to a little oil and root.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
The fire of glory is the torch of the mind.
—Unknown
For glory gives herself only to those who have always dreamed of her.
—Charles de Gaulle (1890–1970) French General, Statesman
Glory comes too late, after one as been reduced to ashes.
—Martial (40–104) Ancient Roman Latin Poet