Not being privy to all of his bedroom utterances, we’ll never know whether Napoleon actually said this to his wife. The winner will be the one who controls that chaos, both his own and the enemies.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “Friends must always be treated as if one day they might be enemies.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet. (1), The closest comment made by Napoleon was, “The basic principle that we must follow in directing the armies of the Republic is this: that they must feed themselves on war at the expense of the enemy territory.” (2), This saying originated with Prussian field marshal Helmuth von Moltke in the mid-19th century. 8. But if you build an army of 100 dogs and their leader is a lion, all dogs will fight as a lion.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “You don’t reason with intellectuals. Napoléon Bonaparte was a French statesman and military leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led several successful campaigns during the French Revolutionary Wars. Jesus Christ to the Roman world, Muhammad to the old continent.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “Music is the voice that tells us that the human race is greater than it knows.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “Great men are meteors designed to burn so that earth may be lighted.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “There are but two powers in the world, the sword and the mind. You can follow her on Twitter @ShannonSelin. Pierre Louis Roederer, Oeuvres, Vol. Napoleon supposedly said this regarding his dispersal of the mob marching on the National Assembly in Paris on October 5, 1795. 3. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any material on this site without express and written permission from the author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. By Shannon Selin Napoleon Bonaparte is one of the most quoted people in history, and thus also one of the most misquoted. Shannon Selin is the Canadian-based author of Napoleon in America, which imagines what might have happened if Napoleon had escaped from St. Helena and wound up in the United States in 1821. Contemporary media, whether it is newspapers, or net … Here are 10 famous quips falsely attributed to the legendary Corsican conqueror. But it is peaceful, pleasant and civilised," said Chinese President Xi Jinping. "Have you ever seen a peaceful, civilised and not aggressive lion? Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes A lion is a big, wild and predatory animal, very much like China in its relations with other countries," Jean-Pierre Cabestan, the chief of the political science department at the Hong Kong Baptist University, told the South China Morning Post.

It will help the world make progress in various aspects. She blogs about Napoleonic and 19th century history at shannonselin.com. In fact, the lion of China has awoken, but what the world sees now, is a peaceful, amiable, civilised lion.". The two heads of state later held talks on boosting bilateral ties. Four years later her cousin, the memoirist Roger de Rabutin wrote, “As a rule God is on the side of the big squadrons against the small ones.” Voltaire and Frederick the Great also repeated this line. This may be one of Napoleon's most popular saying. "Napoleon Bonaparte once said that China 'is a sleeping lion and when China wakes up, the world will shake'. Jane West, The Loyalists: An Historical Novel, Vol. What von Moltke actually wrote was, “[No] plan of operations extends with any certainty beyond the first contact with the main hostile force.” (3). In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, Your email address will not be published. 2 (Boston, 1813), p. 134.

Napoleon Bonaparte is one of the most quoted people in history, and thus also one of the most misquoted. Since Xi's takeover late last year, there have been frequent territorial disputes with China's neighbouring countries as well as a perceptible shift in Beijing's relations with other countries including the US. Napoleon’s dialogue in Napoleon in America is a mix of adapted quotations and invention. III (Paris, 1854), p. 428. All Rights Reserved. IV (London, 1903), p. 314. French president François Hollande was also present on the occasion. Learn how your comment data is processed. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Below is the collection of top famous and inspiring Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes with images. Napoleon Bonaparte birthday is celebrated on August 15 in his memory. In 1673 (well before Napoleon’s birth in 1769), French aristocrat and letter writer Madame de Sévigné told a correspondent that Viscount Turenne used to say fortune was for the big battalions. Copyright © 2020 MilitaryHistoryNow.com. Historians, nonetheless, dispute the authenticity of attributing the original quote to the French leader. 6. (5), Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, in The Sorrows of Young Werther, first published in 1774, writes “misunderstandings and neglect occasion more mischief in the world than even malice and wickedness. Adam Smith, in The Wealth of Nations (1776), wrote: “To found a great empire for the sole purpose of raising up a people of customers, may at first sight appear a project fit only for a nation of shopkeepers. At all events, the two latter are of less frequent occurrence.” (6) Jane West, in her novel The Loyalists (published in 1812), condenses the sentiment to, “Let us not attribute to malice and cruelty what may be referred to less criminal motives.” (7), French politician and historian Pierre Louis Roederer wrote that he drew up two plans of a constitution for the Cisalpine Republic in Italy in 1802: one very short, leaving much to the President’s discretion; the other long and detailed. 2 (London, 1778), p. 223. 5. "Once the impeccable French emperor Napoleon has a famous Chinese saying, the common quote is: "China is a sleeping lion, once awakened, will shock the world." Thomas Carlyle, The Works of Thomas Carlyle, Vol. In the long run the sword is always beaten by the mind” ― Napoléon Bonaparte, “The best way to make every one poor is to insist on equality of wealth.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “Morality has nothing to do with such a man as I am.” — Napoléon Bonaparte, “The strong man is the one who is able to intercept at will the communication between the senses and the mind.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “Greatness is nothing unless it be lasting” — Napoléon Bonaparte, “Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “I hope before long to press you in my arms and shall shower on you a million burning kisses as under the Equator.” — Napoléon Bonaparte, “Soldiers generally win battles; generals get credit for them.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “There is no place in a fanatic’s head where reason can enter.” — Napoléon Bonaparte, “If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “A great reserve and severity of manners are necessary for the command of those who are older than ourselves.” — Napoléon Bonaparte, “Throw off your worries when you throw off your clothes at night.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “Those who receive the most images into their memories have the most lively imaginations.” ― Napoléon Bonaparte, “A leader is a dealer in hope.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “Audacity succeeds as often as it fails; in life it has an even chance.” — Napoléon Bonaparte, “There are only two forces that unite men – fear and interest.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “True character stands the test of emergencies. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. Do not be mistaken, it is weakness from which the awakening is rude.” ― Napoléon Bonaparte, “History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “The most difficult art is not in the choice of men, but in giving to the men chosen the highest service of which they are capable.” — Napoléon Bonaparte, “It is the cause, not the death, that makes the martyr.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “The nature of strategy consists of always having, even with a weaker army, more forces at the point of attack or at the point where one is being attacked than the enemy.” — Napoléon Bonaparte, “Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window), Napoleon Misquoted — Ten Famous Things Bonaparte Never Actually Said, The Gazette of the Union, Golden Rule and Odd-Fellows’ Family Companion, ← Hard to Swallow – A Brief History of Hardtack and Ship’s Biscuit, Explaining War Crimes – Why Have So Many Modern Armies Committed Mass Murder? ", "Napoleon Bonaparte once said that China 'is a sleeping lion and when China wakes up, the world will shake'. Let her sleep, for when she … IX (New York, 1848), p. 30. Your email address will not be published. Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Vol. Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.” — Napoléon Bonaparte, “Until you spread your wings, you’ll have no idea how far you can fly.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “Impossible is a word found only in the dictionary of fools.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “History is a set of lies agreed upon.” — Napoléon Bonaparte, “The stupid speak of the past, the wise of the present, and fools of the future.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “The truest wisdom is a resolute determination.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “A society without religion is like a vessel without compass.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “Imagination governs the world.” — Napoléon Bonaparte, “We walk faster when we walk alone.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “Women are nothing but machines for producing children.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “If you wish to be success in the world, promise everything, deliver nothing.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “History is written by the winners.” — Napoléon Bonaparte, “A woman laughing is a woman conquered.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “Victory belongs to the most persevering.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “Six hours sleep for a man, seven for a woman and eight for a fool.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, “Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action comes, stop thinking and go in.” — Napoléon Bonaparte, “In our time none has the conception of what is great.