36 Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes on Power

Napoleon Bonaparte quotes on power

11. The Allied Powers having proclaimed that the Emperor Napoleon is the sole obstacle to the re-establishment of peace in Europe, he, faithful to his oath, declares that he is ready to descend from the throne, to quit France, and even to relinquish life, for the good of his country.

16. I may have had many projects, but I never was free to carry out any of them. It did me little good to be holding the helm; no matter how strong my hands, the sudden and numerous waves were stronger still, and I was wise enough to yield to them rather than resist them obstinately and make the ship founder. Thus I never was truly my own master but was always ruled by circumstances.

22. Morality has nothing to do with such a man as I am.

25. Among so many conflicting ideas an so many different perspectives, the honest man is confused and distressed and the skeptic becomes wicked ... Since one must take sides, one might as well choose the side that is victorious, the side which devastates, loots, and burns. Considering the alternative, it is better to eat than to be eaten.

27. Kiss the feet of Popes provided their hands are tied

28. Malice delights to blacken the characters of prominent men.

29. More glorious to merit a sceptre than to possess one.

34. A great people may be killed, but they cannot be intimidated.

36. A king is sometimes obliged to commit crimes; but they are the crimes of his position.

41. When you have an enemy in your power, deprive him of the means of ever injuring you.

47. A man like me troubles himself little about the lives of a million men

50. A revolution is an idea which has found its bayonets.

79. Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets.

95. I can no longer obey; I have tasted command, and I cannot give it up.

102. I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creation of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him.

104. In the world there are but two powers the sword and the mind, in the long run the latter always beats the former.

116. In politics stupidity is not a handicap.

120. It is not enough that I succeed - everyone else must fail.- Adapted from Hannibal.

125. Let China sleep. For when China wakes, it will shake the world.

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

135. One should never forbid what one lacks the power to prevent.

138. Popes have committed too many absurdities to create a belief in their infallibility.

139. Power is founded on opinion.

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

141. Public opinion is the thermometer a monarch should constantly consult.

142. Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.

151. Stupidity is not a handicap in politics.

153. Ten people who speak make more noise than ten thousand who are silent.

155. The allies we gain by victory, will turn against us upon the bare whisper of our defeat.

156. The aristocracy has the advantage of concentrating the power of Government into less dangerous hands than those of the ignorant multitude.

161. The Bible is no mere book, but a Living Creature, with a power that conquers all that oppose it.

170. The people never rub themselves against naked bayonets.

172. The revolution is over. I am the Revolution

180. There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit.

207. Give them a whiff of grapeshot.

210. In early life he may have been a sincere republican; but he hated anarchy and disorder, and, before his campaign in Italy was over, he had begun to plan to make himself ruler of France. He worked systematically to transform the people's earlier ardor for liberty into a passion for military glory and plunder.