The glory of great men must always be measured against the means they have used to acquire it.

François VI, duc de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680) French epigrammatist, memoirist, noble
Réflexions ou sentences et maximes morales [Maxims], #157 (1665-1678) [tr. Tancock (1959)]

Alt. trans.:

  • "The fame of great men ought to be judged always by the means they used to acquire it."
  • "The glory of a great man ought always to be estimated by the means used to acquire it."

 
Added on 1-Feb-04 | Last updated 29-Apr-13
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