Alexander the Great Quotes & Sayings

“It is better to have no women to dinner at all than to have only ugly ones.”

“Whatever possession we gain by our sword cannot be sure or lasting, but the love gained by kindness and moderation is certain and durable.”

“Let us conduct ourselves so that all men wish to be our friends and all fear to be our enemies.”

“Who does not desire such a victory by which we shall join places in our Kingdom, so far divided by nature, and for which we shall set up trophies in another conquered world?”

“As for a limit to one's labors, I do not recognize any for a high-minded man, except that the labors themselves should lead to noble accomplishments.”

“If I were not Alexander, I should wish to be Diogenes.”

“I send you a cup of mustard seed, that you may taste and acknowledge the bitterness of my victory.”

“True love never has a happy ending because there is no ending to true love.”

“Soldiers, I was nearly taken from you by the attempt of a few desperate men, but by the grace and providence of the gods I am still preserved.”

“When you bury my body, do not build any monument; keep my hands outside so the world knows the man who conquered the world died with empty hands.”

“The best prophet is he who guesses well.”

“I have been appointed leader of the Greeks, and, wanting to punish the Persians, I have come to Asia, which I took from you.”

“You will find a way to the top if you diligently seek it; nature has placed nothing so high that it is beyond the reach of industry and courage.”

“Now that the wars are coming to an end, I wish you to prosper in peace. May all mortals from now on live like one people in concord and for mutual advancement. Consider the world as your country, with laws common to all and where the best will govern irrespective of tribe. I do not distinguish among men, as the narrow-minded do, both among Greeks and barbarians. I am not interested in the descent of the citizens or their racial origins. I classify them using one criterion: their virtue. For me every virtuous foreigner is a Greek and every evil Greek is worse than a barbarian. If differences ever develop between you, never have recourse to arms, but solve them peacefully. If necessary, I should be your arbitrator.”

“How happy would it have been for me had I been slain in battle. It would have been far more noble to die at the hands of the enemy than fall victim to the rage of my friends.”

“Youths of the Pellaeans, of the Macedonians, of the Hellenic Amphictyony, of the Lacedaemonians, of the Corinthians, and of all the Hellenic peoples: join your fellow soldiers and entrust yourselves to me, so we can move against the barbarians and liberate ourselves from Persian bondage; for as Greeks we should not be slaves to barbarians.”