Philippe de Commines Quotes (7 quotes) | Quotes of famous people

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Philippe de Commines

Philippe de Commines: 7 quotes0 likes

Famous Philippe de Commines Quotes

“Kings and princes have much more power when they undertake some enterprise on the advice of their subjects. They are then more feared by their enemies.”

Philippe de Commines book Mémoires

Les roys et princes en sont trop plus forts, quand ils l'entreprennent du consentement de leurs subjets, et en sont plus craints de leurs ennemis.
Bk. V, ch. 19.
Mémoires

“Nor should anything said after dinner be taken for counsel.”

Philippe de Commines book Mémoires

Car on ne doit point tenir pour conseil ce qui se fait après disner.
Bk. II, ch. 2.
Mémoires

“Two princes who wish to remain on friendly terms should never see each other but send good and wise men to one another, and these should maintain their friendship and amend any faults.”

Philippe de Commines book Mémoires

Deux grands princes qui se voudroient bien entr'aymer, ne se devroient jamais voir, mais envoyer bonnes gens et sages les uns vers les autres, et ceux là les entretiendroient ou amenderoient les fautes.
Bk. I, ch. 14.
Mémoires

“Now in my opinion, out of all the countries I have personally known, England is the one where public affairs are best conducted and regulated with least violence to the people. There no buildings are knocked down or demolished through war, and disaster and misfortune befall those who make war.”

Philippe de Commines book Mémoires

Or, selon mon advis, entre toutes les seigneuries du monde, dont j'ay connoissance, où la chose publique est mieux traictée, et où règne moins de violence sur le peuple, et où il n'y a nuls édifices abatus, ni démolis pour guerre, c'est Angleterre; et tombe le sort et le malheur sur ceux qui font la guerre.
Bk. V, ch. 19.
Mémoires

“He who has the profits of war has the honour.”

Philippe de Commines book Mémoires

Qui a le profit de la guerre, il en a l'honneur.
Bk. IV, ch. 4.
Mémoires

“Here you will find a pleasant and agreeable style, of a natural simplicity. The narrative is pure and the good faith of the author shines from it, exempt from the vanity of talking about oneself, and from partiality or envy when speaking of others. His ideas and exhortations are accompanied more by good zeal and truth than by any fine ability; and all throughout there is an authoritative tone and gravity proper to a man of good background, brought up in great affairs.”

Philippe de Commines

Vous y trouverez le langage doux et aggreable, d'une naïfve simplicité, la narration pure, et en laquelle la bonne foy de l'autheur reluit evidemment, exempte de vanité parlant de soy, et d'affection et d'envie parlant d'autruy : ses discours et enhortemens, accompaignez, plus de bon zele et de verité, que d'aucune exquise suffisance, et tout par tout de l'authorité et gravité, representant son homme de bon lieu, et élevé aux grans affaires.
Michel de Montaigne Essais Bk. II, ch. 10: "Des Livres"; translation from Serge Hughes (trans.) The Essential Montaigne (New York: New American Library, 1970) p. 293.
Criticism

“The two dukes were wise after the event (as the Bretons say).”

Philippe de Commines book Mémoires

Ces deux ducs dessusdits estoient sages après le coup (comme l'on dit des Bretons).
Bk. I, ch. 16.
Mémoires