This painting, by an unidentified 17th-century artist, was inspired by the historical baptism of King Clovis (r. 481-511), a formidable warlord who consolidated the...
John Jay (c. 1745-1829)
"The pride of states, as well as of men, naturally disposes them to justify all their actions, and opposes their acknowledging,...
This artwork, created between 1585 and 1590 by an unknown artist influenced by Annibale Carracci (1560–1609), was inspired by a mythological tale concerning the...
This artwork, vaguely labeled “Round Study of Composition from Roman History” and created by Milan Thomka Mitrovský (c. 1875–1943), seems to have been inspired...
Hákon Eiriksson was a Norwegian nobleman with ties to the Danish royal family. His father, Jarl Eirik Hakonarson, had aligned himself with King Sweyn...
The Malleus Maleficarum (Published by Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger around 1487)
"The question arises whether people who hold that witches do not exist are...
Diodorus Siculus (c. 1st century BCE)
"History is guardian of the high achievements of illustrious men, the witness which testifies to the evil deeds of...
A man called Thórarin, nicknamed Loftunga (or Praise-Tongue), was an 11th-century Icelandic skald who offered his poetic services to the prominent Scandinavian kings of...
Aeschylus (c. 525-456 BCE)
"adiant dreams are passing in the night,
the memories throb with sorrow, joy with pain...
it is pain to dream and see desires
slip...
This artwork, vaguely labeled “Round Study of Composition from Roman History” and created by Milan Thomka Mitrovský (c. 1875–1943), seems to have been inspired...
This painting, by an unknown artist inspired by Giulio Romano (c. 1499-1546), strives to re-create the story of Emperor Constantine the Great (r. 306-337)...
This artwork, created between 1585 and 1590 by an unknown artist influenced by Annibale Carracci (1560–1609), was inspired by a mythological tale concerning the...
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (c. 1809-1894)
"The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions."
From a Valedictory Address by Oliver...
Gregory of Nazianzus (c. 329-390)
"A man's character is the most persuasive thing of all."
From Gregory of Nazianzus' Three Poems, translated by Denis Molaise...
Euripides (c. 484-406 BCE)
"Talk sense to a fool and he calls you foolish."
From The Bacchae (approximately line 480), by the poet Euripides. Translated...
Albert Camus (c. 1913-1960)
"All great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning."
From The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus, translated by...
Mencius (c. 372-289 BCE)
"Benevolence overcomes cruelty just as water overcomes fire."
From The Mencius (Book VI, Part A, section 18) by Mencius, translated by D....
Odin (from Hávamál)
"Cattle die,
kin die
self dies too;
a good name,
if you get one,
goes on forever"
This quote comes from stanza 76 of Hávamál (Sayings of the...
Sir Winston Churchill (c. 1874-1965)
"Never till now were great communities afforded such ample means of measuring their approaching agony. Never have they seemed less...
St. Augustine of Hippo (c. 354-430)
"Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet."
From St. Augustine's Confessions (Book 8, chapter 7, section 17), in...
