Transience of Power Quotes

Power gives no purchase to the hand, it will not hold, soon perishes, and greatness goes.

The more rapidly a civilization progresses, the sooner it dies for another to rise in its place.

In most cases, those who want power probably shouldn't have it, those who enjoy it probably do so for the wrong reasons, and those who want most to hold on to it don't understand that it's only temporary.

Parties are continually changing. The men of today give place to the men of tomorrow, and the idols which one set worship, the next destroy.

Time after time have nations, ay, and rich and strong nations, learned in the arts, been, and passed away to be forgotten, so that no memory of them remains. This is but one of several; for Time eats up the works of man.

A thousand years scarce serve to form a state; an hour may lay it in the dust.

No nation can anticipate its term, nor delay it.

What has history said of eminence without honor, wealth without wisdom, power and possessions without principle? The answer is reiterated in the overthrow of the mightiest empires of ancient times. Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome! The four successive, universal powers of the past. What and where are they?

The world survived the fall of the Roman empire and will no doubt outlast our own so much more splendid civilisation.

The day I leave the power, inside my pockets will only be dust.