Great men are almost always bad men.
Lord ActonRead
Save for the wild force of Nature, nothing moves in this world that is not Greek in its origin.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the significant influence of Greek culture on the development of Western civilization.
Lord Acton's quote suggests that nearly everything that shapes our world, whether it be art, science, language, or thought, has its roots in Greek culture and heritage. He highlights the foundational role that ancient Greece played in the development of various aspects of modern life, asserting that this cultural legacy is unparalleled except for the primal forces of nature.
Themes
GreekCultureInfluenceCivilizationHeritage
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about the importance of cultural heritage in shaping societies.
More from Lord Acton
All quotes βPower tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Lord ActonRead
Liberty and good government do not exclude each other; and there are excellent reasons why they should go together. Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.
Lord ActonRead
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end...liberty is the only object which benefits all alike, and provokes no sincere opposition...The danger is not that a particular class is unfit to govern. ~ Every class is unfit to govern ... Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.
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Limitation is essential to authority. A government is legitimate only if it is effectively limited.
Lord ActonRead
To develop and perfect and arm conscience is the great achievement of history.
Lord ActonRead
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