We must laugh at man to avoid crying for him.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Humor
Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Glory
If they want peace, nations should avoid the pin-pricks that precede cannon shots.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Peace
The art of the police is not to see what it is useless that it should see.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Police, Control
The only victory over love is flight.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Victory, Love
The only one who is wiser than anyone is everyone.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Wisdom
The great proof of madness is the disproportion of one’s designs to one’s means.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Insanity
Who saves his country violates no law.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Patriotism
Revolutions are like the most noxious dung-heaps, which bring into life the noblest vegetables.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Revolution
The only conquests that are permanent and leave no regrets are our conquests over ourselves.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Regret, Achievements
If I were an Englishman, I should esteem the man who advised a war with China to be the greatest living enemy of my country. You would be beaten in the end, and perhaps a revolution in India would follow.
—Napoleon I
Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principals which direct them.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Ambition
Among those who dislike oppression are many who like to oppress.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Oppression
The Empress is legitimate, my cousin is Republican, Morny is Orleanist, I am a socialist; the only Bonapartist is Persigny, and he is mad.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Politicians, Politics
You medical people will have more lives to answer for in the other world than even we generals.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Medicine, Doctors
Fashion condemns us to many follies; the greatest is to make ourselves its slave.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Fashion
The greatest general is he who makes the fewest mistakes.
—Napoleon I
Topics: The Military, Failures, Navy, Mistakes, Army
History is simply the version of past events that people have decided to agree on.
—Napoleon I
Topics: History, Events
Even in war moral power is to physical as three parts out of four.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Power
Every private in the French army carries a Field Marshall wand in his knapsack.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Leadership, Leaders
Men are led by trifles.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Leaders, Trifles, Leadership
If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Control
It requires more courage to suffer than to die.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Suffering, Bravery, Courage
Music, of all the liberal arts, has the greatest influence over the passions, and is that to which the legislator ought to give the greatest encouragement.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Music
The best way to keep one’s word is not to give it.
—Napoleon I
The surest way to remain poor is to be an honest man.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Poverty
There are calumnies against which even innocence loses courage.
—Napoleon I
The future destiny of the child is always the work of the mother.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Children, Future, Mother, The Future
You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Fighting, Competition
Public opinion is the thermometer a monarch should constantly consult.
—Napoleon I
Topics: Opinion, Public opinion
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
- Queen Elizabeth I British Monarch
- Christina, Queen of Sweden Swedish Monarch
- Akhenaten Egyptian Monarch
- Frederick II of Prussia Prussian Monarch
- Charles de Gaulle French General, Statesman
- Edgar Degas French Painter
- Catherine Deneuve French Actor
- Michel de Montaigne French Essayist
- Blaise Pascal French Philosopher, Scientist
- Jean Cocteau French Poet, Artist
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