“The Power of Ambition: 225 Quotes by Napoleon Bonaparte” is a captivating compilation that delves into the profound insights and motivations of one of history’s most influential figures. Napoleon Bonaparte, with his indomitable spirit and unwavering ambition, left an indelible mark on the world. This collection of quotes showcases his astute understanding of leadership, determination, and the relentless pursuit of success. Each quote serves as a beacon of inspiration, urging readers to embrace their own ambitions and strive for greatness. Through his words, Napoleon’s legacy continues to resonate, reminding us of the transformative power of ambition.
Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes
‘“An Emperor confides in national soldiers, not in mercenaries.”’
‘“Public opinion is the thermometer a monarch should constantly consult.”’
‘The greatest general is he who makes the fewest mistakes.”’
‘“When your enemy is doing something wrong, do not interrupt him.”’
‘“It is often in the audacity, in the steadfastness, of the general that the safety and the conservation of his men is found.”’
‘“International incidents must not be allowed to shape foreign policy, foreign policy must shape the incidents.”’
‘“For the stability of the Government, the people should have a considerable voice in the elections.”’
‘“God! How men of letters are stupid.”’
‘“When soldiers have been baptized in the fire of a battle-field, they have all one rank in my eyes.”’
‘“To a father who loves his children victor has no charms. When the heart speaks, glory itself is an illusion.”’
‘“War is cruel to the people, and terrible to the conquered.”’
‘“Riches do not consist in the possession of treasures, but in the use made of them.”’
‘“Democracy, if it is reasonable, limits itself to giving everyone an equal opportunity to compete and to obtain.”’
‘“Passionate people invariably deny their anger, and cowards often boast their ignorance of fear.”’
‘“The barbarous custom of having men beaten who are suspected of having important secrets to reveal must be abolished. It has always been recognized that this way of interrogating men, by putting them to torture, produces nothing worthwhile.”’
‘“We must serve the people worthily, and not occupy ourselves in trying to please them. The best way, to gain their affections is to do them good.”’
‘“Throw off your worries when you throw off your clothes at night.”’
‘The policies of all powers are inherent in their geography.”’
‘“A Constitution should be short and obscure.”’
‘“There are two kinds of fidelity, that of dogs and that of cats; you, gentleman, have the fidelity of cats who never leave the house.”’
‘“In a great nation, the majority are incapable of judging wisely of things.”’
‘“In war, as in love, we must come into contact before we triumph.”’
‘“In our time no one has the conception of what is great. It is up to me to show them.”’
‘“A people which is able to say everything becomes able to do everything.”’
‘“Soldiers! Forty centuries behold you!”’
‘“The heart may be broken, and the soul remain unshaken.”’
‘“Clearly, the pleasures wines afford are transitory – but so are those of the ballet, or of a musical performance. Wine is inspiring and adds greatly to the joy of living.”’
‘“Whatever misanthropists may say, ingrates and the perverse are exceptions in the human species.”’
‘“Being in the Tuileries is not everything: what matters is to stay here.”’
‘“An aristocracy is the true support of a monarchy.”’
‘“Unavailable wars are always just.”’
‘“The art of war is to gain time when your strength is inferior.”’
‘“There is no place in a fanatic’s head where reason can enter.”’
‘“A man cannot become an atheist merely by wishing it.”’
‘“I would rather suffer with coffee than be senseless.”’
‘“Without cavalry, battles are without result.”’
‘“The extent of your consciousness is limited only by your ability to love and to embrace with your love the space around you, and all it contains.”’
‘“Rascality has limits; stupidity has not.”’
‘The fate of a Nation may sometimes depend upon the position of a fortress.”’
‘“To have good soldiers, a nation must always be at war.”’
‘“It is neither holy, Roman or an empire.”’
‘“A faithful friend is the true image of the Deity.”’
‘“Bloodletting is among the ingredients of political medicine.”’
‘“A man who has no consideration for the needs of his men ought never to be given command.”’
‘“Obedience to public authority ought not to be based either on ignorance or stupidity.”’
‘“A man is not dependent upon his fellow creature, when he does not fear death.”’
‘“Take a dose of medicine once, and in all probability you will be obliged to take an additional hundred afterwards.”’
‘“True character stands the test of emergencies. Do not be mistaken, it is weakness from which the awakening is rude.”’
‘“I engage and after that I see what to do.”’
‘“We often get in quicker by the back door than by the front.”’
‘“Power is what they like – it is the greatest of all aphrodisiacs.”’
‘“The superior man is never in anyone’s way.”’
‘“An army of lions commanded by a deer will never be an army of lions.”’
‘“A throne is only a bench covered with velvet.”’
‘“Among those who dislike oppression are many who like to oppress.”’
‘“Lack is more in means, than in principles.”’
‘“Collective crimes incriminate no one.”’
‘“It is exceptional and difficult to find in one man all the qualities necessary for a great general.”’
‘“I love a brave soldier who has undergone the baptism of fire.”’
‘“A King should sacrifice the best affections of his heart for the good of his country; no sacrifice should be above his determination.”’
‘“To be believed make the truth unbelievable.”’
‘“What a beautiful fix we are in now; peace has been declared.”’
‘“All the women in the world would not make me lose an hour.”’
‘“Nothing is so important in war as an undivided command.”’
‘“Success is the most convincing talker in the world.”’
‘“France has more need of me than I have need of France.”’
‘“Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for him.”’
‘“In war, three-quarters turns on personal character and relations; the balance of manpower and materials counts only for the remaining quarter.”’
‘“The logical end to defensive warfare is surrender.”’
Napoleon Inspirational Quotes
‘“God is on the side of the heaviest cannon.”’
‘“History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon.”’
‘“Force is the law of animals, men are ruled by conviction.”’
‘“There are two levers for moving men – interest and fear.”’
‘“Greatness be nothing unless it be lasting.”’
‘“Liberty and equality are magical words.”’
‘The people to fear are not those who disagree with you, but those who disagree with you and are too cowardly to let you know.”’
‘“Man is entitled by birthright to a share of the earth’s produce sufficient to fill the needs of his existence.”’
‘“I am a monarch of God’s creation, and you reptiles of the earth dare not oppose me. I render an account of my government to none save God and Jesus Christ.”’
‘“Whatever shall we do in that remote spot? Well, we will write our memoirs. Work is the scythe of time.”’
‘“From the sublime to the ridiculous there is but one step.”’
‘“In war, as in prostitution, amateurs are often better than professionals.”’
‘“In the eyes of empire builders men are not men but instruments.”’
‘Over-preparation is the foe of inspiration.”’
‘“The purpose of religion is to keep the poor from killing the rich.”’
‘“A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon.”’
‘“Oh well, no matter what happens, there’s always death.”’
‘“The bullet that will kill me is not yet cast.”’
‘“My success and everything good that I have done, I owe to my mother.”’
‘“The fool has one great advantage over a man of sense; he is always satisfied with himself.”’
‘“You write to me that it’s impossible. The word is not French.”’
Napoleon Bonaparte Sayings
‘“Our hour is marked, and no one can claim a moment of life beyond what fate has predestined.”’
‘“The future destiny of a child is always the work of the mother.”’
‘“Laws which are consistent in theory often prove chaotic in practice.”’
‘“Those who failed to oppose me, who readily agreed with me and accepted all my views, were those who did me the most injury.”’
‘“The sovereignty of the people is inalienable.”’
‘“All great events hang by a single thread. The clever man takes advantage of everything, neglects nothing that may give him some added opportunity; the less clever man, by neglecting one thing, sometimes misses everything.”’
‘“The advance and perfecting of mathematics are closely joined to the prosperity of the nation.”’
‘“An order that can be misunderstood, will be misunderstood.”’
‘“I have fought sixty battles, and I have learnt nothing which I did not know at the beginning.”’
‘“Adversity is the midwife of genius.”’
‘“A man becomes the creature of his uniform.”’
‘“To understand the man you have to know what was happening in the world when he was twenty.”’
‘“There are so many laws that no one is safe from hanging.”’
‘“One might as well try to charge through a wall.”’
‘“Men are more easily governed through their vices than through their virtues.”’
‘“My business is to succeed, and I’m good at it. I create my Iliad by my actions, create it day by day.”’
‘“A leader has the right to be beaten, but never the right to be surprised.”’
‘“The strong man is the one who is able to intercept at will the communication between the senses and the mind.”’
‘“You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war.”’
‘“The hand that gives is among the hand that takes. Money has no fatherland, financiers are without patriotism and without decency, their sole object is gain.”’
‘“A society without religion is like a vessel without compass.”’
‘“If you wish to be a success in the world, promise everything, deliver nothing.”’
‘“An urgent missive sent to Josephine Home in three days. Don’t wash.”’
‘“Men are ruled by toys.”’
‘“Better to have a known enemy than a forced ally.”’
‘“Who saves his country violates no law.”’
‘“I made all my generals out of mud.”’
‘To live, is to suffer; and the honest man is always fighting to be master of his own mind.”’
‘“Mankind’s worst enemy is fear of work.”’
‘“Strategy is the art of making use of time and space. I am less concerned about the later than the former. Space we can recover, lost time never.”’
‘“Good intelligence is nine-tenths of any battle.”’
‘“It is with artillery that war is made.”’
‘“I base my calculation on the expectation that luck will be against me.”’
‘“An empty throne always tempts me.”’
‘“In war it is not men, but the man who counts.”’
‘The purely defensive is doomed to defeat.”’
‘“Great battles are won with artillery.”’
‘“Nothing is lost as long as courage remains.”’
‘“No one but myself can be blamed for my fall. I have been my own greatest enemy-the cause of my own disastrous fate.”’
‘“My downfall raises me to infinite heights.”’
‘“If you know a country’s geography, you can understand and predict its foreign policy.”’
‘“Insubordination may only be the evidence of a strong mind.”’
‘“There is no such thing as an accident, only a failure to recognise the hand of fate.”’
‘“Space we can recover; time never.”’
‘“The first virtue in a soldier is endurance of fatigue; courage is only the second virtue.”’,
‘“We walk faster when we walk alone.”’
‘“Man will believe anything, as long as it’s not in the bible.”’
‘“Give me enough ribbons to place on the tunics of my soldiers and I can conquer the world.”’
‘“The stupid speak of the past, the wise of the present, and fools of the future.”’
‘“Nature intended women to be our slaves. They are our property.”’
‘“Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.”’
‘“The greatest danger occurs at the moment of victory.”’
‘“There is only one thing in this world, and that is to keep acquiring money and more money, power and more power. All the rest is meaningless.”’
‘”There shall be no Alps.”’
‘“It requires more courage to suffer than to die.”’
‘“Of all the peoples of Europe, Spaniards disgust me the least.”’
‘“We must laugh at man to avoid crying for him.”’
‘“The worse the man the better the soldier. If soldiers be not corrupt they ought to be made so.”’
‘“In war, the moral is to the physical as three is to one.”’
‘“In war, the general alone can judge of certain arrangements. It depends on him alone to conquer difficulties by his own superior talents and resolution.”’
‘“I have so often been mistaken that I no longer blush for it.”’
‘Put your iron hand in a velvet glove.”’
‘“Where the Government is weak, military sway prevails.”’
‘“A great reputation is a great noise, the more there is of it, and the further does it swell. Land, monuments, Nations, all fall, but the noise remains, and will reach to other generations.”’
‘“The best generals are those who have served in the artillery.”’
‘“The only victory over love is flight.”’
‘“Men will risk their lives, even die for ribbons.”’
‘“There is only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.”’
‘“I have come to realise that men are not born to be free.”’
‘“You cannot stop me; I spend thirty thousand men a month.”’
‘“Diplomacy is the police in grand costume.”’
‘“Between a battle lost and a battle won, the distance is immense and there stand empires.”’
‘“You must not fear death, my lads; defy him, and you drive him into the enemy’s ranks.”’
‘“Champagne! In victory, one deserves it; in defeat one needs it.”’
‘“Envy is a declaration of inferiority.”’
‘“In war, men are nothing, one man is everything.”’,
‘“Never awake me when you have good news to announce, because with good news nothing presses; but when you have bad news, arouse me immediately, for then there is not an instant to be lost.”’
‘“Give me enough medals and I’ll win you any war.”’
‘“I know he’s a good general, but is he lucky?”’
‘“A starving army is actually worse than none.”’
‘“Strong coffee, much strong coffee, is what awakens me. Coffee gives me warmth, waking, an unusual force and a pain that is not without very great pleasure.”’
‘“If the Earth were a single state, Istanbul would be its capital.”’
‘“The first quality of a soldier is constancy in enduring fatigue and hardship. Courage is only the second. Poverty privation and want are the school of the good soldier.”’
‘“It’s the unconquerable soul of man, and not the nature of the weapon he uses, that ensures victory.”’
‘“A great people may be killed, but they cannot be intimidated.”’
‘“Courage cannot be counterfeited. It is one virtue that escapes hypocrisy.”’
‘“Remember, gentlemen, what a Roman emperor said: The corpse of an enemy always smells sweet.”’
‘“The leader’s role is to define reality, then give hope.”’
‘“It is the cause, not the death, that makes the martyr.”’
‘“In politics, stupidity is not a handicap.”’
‘“I saw the crown of France laying on the ground, so I picked it up with my sword.”’
‘“One must change one’s tactics every ten years if one wishes to maintain one’s superiority.”’
‘“Ten people who speak make more noise than ten thousand who are silent.”’
‘“An army marches on its stomach.”’
‘“The battlefield is a scene of constant chaos. The winner will be the one who controls that chaos, both his own and the enemies.”’
‘“Imagination governs the world.”’
‘“Ability is nothing without opportunity.”’
‘“Never ascribe to malice that which can adequately be explained by incompetence.”’
‘“The truest wisdom is a resolute determination.”’
‘“You don’t reason with intellectuals. You shoot them.”’
‘“The word impossible is not in my dictionary.”’
‘“Let her sleep, for when she wakes, she will shake the world.”’
‘“You can not lead a battle if you think you look silly on a horse.”’
‘“The only conquests that are permanent and leave no regrets are our conquests over ourselves.”’
‘“Never interfere with an enemy in the process of destroying himself.”’
‘“Men are Moved by two levers only: fear and self interest.”’
‘“Death is nothing, but to live defeated and inglorious is to die daily.”’
‘“Every hour of lost time is a chance of future misfortune.”’
‘“We are either kings or pawns of men.”’
‘“There are but two powers in the world, the sword and the mind. In the long run the sword is always beaten by the mind.”’
‘“Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets.”’
‘ “Music is what tell us that the human race is greater than we realize.”’
‘“A picture is worth a thousand words.”’
‘“Give me an educated mother, I shall promise you the birth of a civilized, educated nation.”’
‘“Courage is like love, it must have hope for nourishment.”’
‘“A woman laughing is a woman conquered.”’
‘“The amateurs discuss tactics: the professionals discuss logistics.”’
‘“Show me a family of readers, and I will show you the people who move the world.”’
‘“Great men are meteors designed to burn so that earth may be lighted.”’
‘“There is a joy in danger.”’
‘“Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide.”’
‘“Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools.”’
‘ “Until you spread your wings, you’ll have no idea how far you can fly.”’
‘”The best cure for the body is a quiet mind.”’
‘“History is a set of lies agreed upon.”’
‘“A leader is a dealer in hope.”’
‘“Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action comes, stop thinking and go in.”’
‘“Victory belongs to the most persevering.”’
‘“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”’
‘“The world suffers a lot. Not because the violence of bad people, but because of the silence of the good people.”’
‘“If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.”’
‘“History is written by the winners.”’
‘“Courage isn’t having the strength to go on – it is going on when you don’t have strength.”’,
