I would rather live a short life of glory than a long one of obscurity.
Alexander The GreatRead
Sex and sleep alone make me conscious that I am mortal.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the fundamental experiences of life that remind us of our own mortality.
In this quote, Alexander the Great emphasizes that the basic human experiences of sex and sleep are vital and intimate reminders of our mortality. While these activities are part of everyday life, their significance lies in how they connect us to our existence and remind us that life is finite. The mention of mortality serves as a profound reflection on the nature of human experience and the inevitability of death.
Themes
MortalityLifeHuman ExperienceSexSleep
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on the human condition, I quoted this line to illustrate the significance of basic human experiences.
More from Alexander The Great
All quotes βAre you still to learn that the end and perfection of our victories is to avoid the vices and infirmities of those whom we subdue?
Alexander The GreatRead
Now you fear punishment and beg for your lives, so I will let you free, if not for any other reason so that you can see the difference between a Greek king and a barbarian tyrant, so do not expect to suffer any harm from me. A king does not kill messengers.
Alexander The GreatRead
In the end, when it's over, all that matters is what you've done.
Alexander The GreatRead
But truly, if I were not Alexander, I would be Diogenes.
Alexander The GreatRead
A tomb now suffices him for whom the whole world was not sufficient.
Alexander The GreatRead
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It is the task of theologians to establish the limits of justice and injustice regarding the intrinsic goodness or wickedness of an act; it is the task of the observer of public life to establish the relationships of political justice and injustice, that is, of what is useful or harmful to society.
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You say you are a nameless man. You are not to your wife and to your child. You will not long remain so to your immediate colleagues if you can answer their simple questions when they come into your office. You are not nameless to me. Do not remain nameless to yourself β it is too sad a way to be. Know your place in the world and evaluate yourself fairly, not in terms of the naΓ―ve ideals of your own youth, nor in terms of what you erroneously imagine your teacher's ideals are.
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