The great refusal.
[It., Il gran rifiuto.]

The great refusal.
[It., Il gran rifiuto.]

The men who succeed are the efficient few. They are the few who have the ambition and will power to read more

The men who succeed are the efficient few. They are the few who have the ambition and will power to develop themselves.

For all may have,
If they dare to try, a glorious life, or grave.

For all may have,
If they dare to try, a glorious life, or grave.

Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy.

Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy.

If at great things thou would'st arrive,
Get riches first, get wealth, and treasure heap,
Not difficult, read more

If at great things thou would'st arrive,
Get riches first, get wealth, and treasure heap,
Not difficult, if thou hearken to me;
Riches are mine, fortune is in my hand,
They whom I favor thrive in wealth amain,
While virtue, valor, wisdom, sit in want.

I strike the stars with by sublime head.
[Lat., Sublimi feriam sidera vertice.]

I strike the stars with by sublime head.
[Lat., Sublimi feriam sidera vertice.]

But what will not ambition and revenge
Descend to? who aspires must down as low
As high read more

But what will not ambition and revenge
Descend to? who aspires must down as low
As high he soar'd, obnoxious first and last
To basest things.

Ambition is an idol, on whose wings great minds are carried only to extreme; to be sublimely great or to read more

Ambition is an idol, on whose wings great minds are carried only to extreme; to be sublimely great or to be nothing.

Nothing is too high for the daring of mortals: we would storm
heaven itself in our folly.
[Lat., read more

Nothing is too high for the daring of mortals: we would storm
heaven itself in our folly.
[Lat., Nil mortalibus arduum est:
Coelum ipsum petimus stultitia.]