Why should I know Napoleon Bonaparte?

“A good sketch is better than a long speech.”

“A leader is a dealer in hope.”

“A picture is worth a thousand words.”

“A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon.”

“A woman laughing is a woman conquered.”

“Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for him.”

“China is a sleeping giant. Let her sleep, for when she wakes she will move the world.”

“Death is nothing, but to live defeated and inglorious is to die daily.”

“He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat.”

“History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon.”

“History is written by the winners.”

“I am surrounded by priests who repeat incessantly that their kingdom is not of this world, and yet they lay hands on everything they can get.”

“I saw the crown of France laying on the ground, so I picked it up with my sword.”

“If I had to choose a religion, the sun as the universal giver of life would be my god.”

“If they want peace, nations should avoid the pin-pricks that precede cannon shots.”

“If we could read the past histories of all our enemies we would disregard all hostility for them.”

“If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.”

“Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools. Wise people create opportunities for themselves and make everything possible...”

“Men are more easily governed through their vices than through their virtues.”

“Men are moved by two levers only: fear and self interest.”

“Never interrupt your enemy when he’s making a mistake.”

“Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide.”

“One is more certain to influence men, to produce more effect on them, by absurdities than by sensible ideas.”

“Put your iron hand in a velvet glove.”

“Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet. Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.”

“Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action comes, stop thinking and go in.”

“Ten people who speak make more noise than ten thousand who are silent.”

“The best cure for the body is a quiet mind.”

“The best way to keep one's word is not to give it.”

“The hand that gives is among the hand that takes. Money has no fatherland, financiers are without patriotism and without decency, their sole object is gain.”

“The reason most people fail instead of succeed is they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment.”

“The surest way to remain poor is to be honest.”

“The world suffers a lot. Not because the violence of bad people. But because of the silence of the good people.”

“There are but two powers in the world, the sword and the mind. In the long run the sword is always beaten by the mind.”

“Throw off your worries when you throw off your clothes at night.”

“Victory belongs to the most persevering.”

“When you have an enemy in your power, deprive him of the means of ever injuring you.”