Top 15 Edward Gibbon Quotes

English historian and politician (1737–1794)

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Edward Gibbon (1737-05-08 [or 1737-04-27, O.S.] – 1794-01-16) was arguably the most important historian since the time of the ancient Roman Tacitus. Gibbon's magnum opus, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, published between 1776 and 1788, is a groundbreaking work of early modern erudition, the broad influence of which endures to this day.

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We improve ourselves by victory over our self. There must be contests, and you must win.

The winds and waves are always on the side of the ablest navigators.

The various modes of worship which prevailed in the Roman world were all considered by the people as equally true; by the philosopher as equally false; and by the magistrate as equally useful.

The five marks of the Roman decaying culture:

Concern with displaying affluence instead of building wealth;

Obsession with sex and perversions of sex;

Art becomes freakish and sensationalistic instead of creative and original;

Widening disparity between very rich and very poor;

Increased demand to live off the state.

Conversation enriches the understanding, but solitude is the school of genius.

I make it a point never to argue with people for whose opinion I have no respect.

My early and invincible love of reading — I would not exchange for the treasures of India.

The most worthless of mankind are not afraid to condemn in others the same disorders which they allow in themselves; and can readily discover some nice difference in age, character, or station, to justify the partial distinction.

Books are those faithful mirrors that reflect to our mind the minds of sages and heroes.

Revenge is profitable, gratitude is expensive.

All that is human must retrograde if it does not advance.

War, in its fairest form, implies a perpetual violation of humanity and justice.

The policy of the emperors and the senate, as far as it concerned religion, was happily seconded by the reflections of the enlightened, and by the habits of the superstitious, part of their subjects. The various modes of worship, which prevailed in the Roman world, were all considered by the people, as equally true; by the philosopher, as equally false; and by the magistrate, as equally useful. And thus toleration produced not only mutual indulgence, but even religious concord.

To an active mind, indolence is more painful than labor.

Every person has two educations, one which he receives from others, and one, more important, which he gives to himself.