You May Also Like / View all maxioms
O, how wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favors!
There is betwixt that smile read more
O, how wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favors!
There is betwixt that smile we would aspire to,
That sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin,
More pangs and fears than wars or women have;
And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer,
Never to hope again.
Ten poor men sleep in peace on one straw heap, as Saadi sings,
But the immensest empire is too read more
Ten poor men sleep in peace on one straw heap, as Saadi sings,
But the immensest empire is too narrow for two kings.
There was a king of Thule,
Was faithful till the grave,
To whom his mistress dying,
read more
There was a king of Thule,
Was faithful till the grave,
To whom his mistress dying,
A golden goblet gave.
[Ger., Es war ein Konig in Tule
Gar treu bis an das Grab,
Dem sterbend seine Buhle
Einen gold'nen Becher gab.]
'Tis so much to be a king, that he only is so by being so.
- Michael read more
'Tis so much to be a king, that he only is so by being so.
- Michael Eyquen de Montaigne,
Knowest thou not that kings have long hands?
[Lat., An nescis longos regibus esse manus?]
Knowest thou not that kings have long hands?
[Lat., An nescis longos regibus esse manus?]
The gates of monarchs
Are arched so high that giants may jet through
And keep their impious read more
The gates of monarchs
Are arched so high that giants may jet through
And keep their impious turbans on without
Good morrow to the sun.
The first art to be learned by a ruler is to endure envy.
[Lat., Ars prima regni posse te read more
The first art to be learned by a ruler is to endure envy.
[Lat., Ars prima regni posse te invidiam pati.]
The first king was a successful soldier;
He who serves well his country has no need of ancestors.
read more
The first king was a successful soldier;
He who serves well his country has no need of ancestors.
[Fr., Le premier qui fut roi, fut un soldat heureux;
Qui sert bien son pays, n'a pas besoin d'aleux.]
