"Music, of all the liberal arts, has the greatest influence over the passions, and it is that to which the legislator ought to give the greatest encouragement"

"Among those who dislike oppression are many who like to oppress."

"I made all my generals out of mud."

"The strong man is the one who is able to intercept at will the communication between the senses and the mind."

"Power is my mistress. I have worked too hard at her conquest to allow anyone to take her away from me."

"The only conquests which are permanent and leave no regrets are our conquests over ourselves."

"The conscience is the sacred haven of the liberty of man."

"A Constitution should be short and obscure"

"He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat."

"Valor is a gift. Those having it never know for sure whether they have it till the test comes. And those having it in one test never know for sure if they will have it when the next test comes."

"An army marches on its stomach."

"Every private in the French army carries a Field Marshall wand in his knapsack."

"The bed has become a place of luxury to me! I would not exchange it for all the thrones in the world"

"England is a nation of shopkeepers"

"I tell you Wellington is a bad general, the English are bad soldiers; we will settle this matter by lunch time."

"The greatest general is he who makes the fewest mistakes."

"The battlefield is a scene of constant chaos. The winner will be the one who controls that chaos, both his own and the enemies."

"When firmness is sufficient, rashness is unnecessary."

"Fashion condemns us to many follies; the greatest is to make ourselves its slave"

"The best cure for the body is a quiet mind."

"A throne is only a bench covered with velvet."

"Someone says, "Boys will be boys"; he forgot to add, "Boys will be men"

"Men are more easily governed through their vices than through their virtues."

"There are only two forces that unite men - fear and interest."

"Imagination rules the world."

"Doctors will have more lives to answer for in the next world than even we generals"

"When soldiers have been baptized in the fire of a battle-field, they have all one rank in my eyes."

"My downfall raises me to infinite heights."

"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."

"The only victory over love is flight."

"The first virtue in a soldier is endurance of fatigue; courage is only the second virtue."

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."

"Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in."

"Ability is of little account without opportunity."

"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"

"The truest wisdom is a resolute determination."

"If they want peace, nations should avoid the pin-pricks that precede cannon shots."

"Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever."

"History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon."

"What is history but a fable agreed upon?"

"A picture is worth a thousand words."

"The intellect of man is forced to choose perfection of the life, or of the work, and if it take the second must refuse a heavenly mansion, raging in the dark."

"Life is a long preparation for something that never happens."

"I think it better that at times like theseWe poets keep our mouths shut, for in truthWe have no gift to set a statesman right;He's had enough of meddling who can pleaseA young girl in the indolence of her youthOr an old man upon a winter's night."

"Out of our quarrels with others we make rhetoric. Out of our quarrels with ourselves we make poetry."

"Half close your eyelids, loosen your hair,And dream about the great and their pride;They have spoken against you everywhere,But weigh this song with the great and their pride;I made it out of a mouthful of air,Their children's children shall say they have lied."

"Where, where but here have Pride and Truth,That long to give themselves for wage,To shake their wicked sides at youthRestraining reckless middle age?"

"Our words must seem to be inevitable."

"Words alone are certain good."

"I have passed with a nod of the headOr polite meaningless words,Or have lingered awhile and saidPolite meaningless words. . . ."