I would rather live a short life of glory than a long one of obscurity.
Alexander The GreatRead
A tomb now suffices him for whom the whole world was not sufficient.
Interpretation
One's achievements and power are meaningless in the face of death.
This quote by Alexander the Great reflects on the futility of material success and worldly power when faced with mortality. Despite conquering vast territories and being revered as one of the greatest leaders in history, the ultimate end for everyone, including him, is death, which renders all worldly accomplishments insignificant.
In practice
During a speech on the importance of humility in success.
I would rather live a short life of glory than a long one of obscurity.
Are you still to learn that the end and perfection of our victories is to avoid the vices and infirmities of those whom we subdue?
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.
In the end, when it's over, all that matters is what you've done.
But truly, if I were not Alexander, I would be Diogenes.
I am dying with the help of too many physicians.
Ringing assurance that we are not alone... That we are assisted and defended by a powerful and glorious order of invisible Beings.
It may seem bizarre, but in my opinion science offers a surer path to God than religion.
Asked whether or not he believed in an afterlife, Thoreau quipped, "One world at a time."
I shared a vagrant optimism that some of us were making real progress, that we had taken an honest road, and that the best of us would inevitably make it over the top. At the same time, I felt that the life we were leading was a lost cause, that we were all actor, kidding ourselves on a senseless odyssey. It was the tension between those two poles - a restless idealism on one hand and a sense of impending doom on the other - that kept me going.
I think nighttime is dark so you can imagine your fears with less distraction.
Just as Darwin discovered the law of evolution in organic nature, so Marx discovered the law of evolution in human history; he discovered the simple fact, hitherto concealed by an overgrowth of idealogy [sic], that mankind must first of all eat and drink, have shelter and clothing, before it can pursue politics, science, religion, art etc.
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