63+ Frederick the Great Quotes On Religion, War And Reform

Frederick the Great was a Prussian King who reigned from 1740 to 1786. He was an enlightened despot and was known for his military and administrative reforms. He is widely regarded as one of the most successful and influential rulers of the 18th century. Following is our collection on famous quotes by Frederick the Great on religion, war, reform.

Top 10 Frederick The Great Quotes

1. Great things are achieved only when we take great risks.
2. The more I see of men, the better I like my dog.
3. A crown is merely a hat that lets the rain in.
4. Diplomacy without military might is like music without instruments.
5. Every man has a wild beast within him.
6. Great advantage is drawn from knowledge of your adversary, and when you know the measure of his intelligence and character, you can use it to play on his weakness.
7. Many battles have been fought and won by soldiers nourished on beer, and the King does not believe that coffee-drinking soldiers can be relied upon to endure hardships in case of another war.
8. No government can exist without taxation. The money must necessarily be levied on the people; and the grand art consists of levying so as not to oppress.
9. An educated people can be easily governed.
10. Artillery adds dignity, to what would otherwise be an ugly brawl.

Frederick the Great Image Quotes

Every man has a wild beast within him. — Frederick the Great

An educated people can be easily governed. — Frederick the Great

Frederick The Great Short Quotes

• In trying to defend everything he defended nothing.
• Every man must get to Heaven his own way.
• A German singer! I should as soon expect to get pleasure from the neighing of my horse.
• What is the good of experience if you do not reflect.
• Talents go by nature not by birth.
• It is impossible to imitate Voltaire without being Voltaire.
• Books make up no small part of human happiness.
• If I wished to punish a province, I would have it governed by philosophers.
• Rogues, would you live forever?
• Our work is to present things that are as they are.

Frederick the Great Quotes About Religion

You will certainly grant me that neither antiquity nor whatever nation has devised a more repulsive and blasphemous absurdity than that of eating your God. This is the most disgusting dogma of Christian religion, the greatest insult to the Highest Being, the climax of madness and insanity. — Frederick the Great

Religion is the idol of the mob; it adores everything it does not understand. — Frederick the Great

Theologians are all alike, of whatever religion or country they may be; their aim is always to wield despotic authority over men's consciences; they therefore persecute all of us who have the temerity to tell the truth. — Frederick the Great

All religions must be tolerated ... every man must go to heaven in his own way. [Die Religionen müssen alle toleriert werden ... denn hier muss ein jeder nach seiner Fasson selig werden.] — Frederick the Great

Frederick the Great Quotes About War

If soldiers were to begin to think, not one of them would remain in the army. — Frederick the Great

It is the fashion these days to make war, and presumably it will last a while yet. — Frederick the Great

God is always with the strongest battalions. — Frederick the Great

Frederick the Great Quotes About Prussia

I think it better to keep a profound silence with regard to the Christian fables, which are canonized by their antiquity and the credulity of absurd and insipid people. — Frederick the Great

As to your Newton, I confess I do not understand his void and his gravity; I admit he has demonstrated the movement of the heavenly bodies with more exactitude than his forerunners; but you will admit it is an absurdity to to maintain the existence of Nothing. — Frederick the Great

Many battles have been fought and won by soldiers nourished on beer. — Frederick the Great

It has been said by a certain general, that the first object in the establishment of an army ought to be making provision for the belly, that being the basis and foundation of all operations. — Frederick the Great

My people and I have come to an agreement which satisfies us both. They are to do what they please, and I am to do what I please. — Frederick the Great

Frederick the Great Quotes About Kings

They say that kings are made in the image of God. If that is what he looks like, I feel sorry for God. — Frederick the Great

Though I may not be a king in my future life, so much the better: I shall nevertheless live an active life and, on top of it, earn less ingratitude. — Frederick the Great

I must in the face of a storm, think, live and die as a king. — Frederick the Great

Don't forget your great guns, which are the most respectable arguments of the rights of kings. — Frederick the Great

A king is the first servant and first magistrate of the state. — Frederick the Great

Frederick the Great Quotes About Made

I am up and about when I am ill, and in the most appalling weather. I am on horseback when other men would be flat out on their beds, complaining. We are made for action, and activity is the sovereign remedy for all physical ills. — Frederick the Great

It seems to me that man is made to act rather than to know: the principles of things escape our most persevering researches. — Frederick the Great

Man is made for error; it enters his mind naturally, and he discovers a few truths only with the greatest effort. — Frederick the Great

Frederick the Great Famous Quotes And Sayings

Little minds try to defend everything at once, but sensible people look at the main point only; they parry the worst blows and stand a little hurt if thereby they avoid a greater one. If you try to hold everything, you hold nothing. — Frederick the Great

Every man has a wild beast within him. — Frederick the Great

An educated people can be easily governed. — Frederick the Great

Being goal directed is not enough to conquer your enemy. To achieve your goal you need to know and be able to utilize all the resources available to you. This includes the knowledge of all those available to you as well as using the physical resources and those who control them. — Frederick the Great

It is disgusting to note the increase in the quantity of coffee used by my subjects and the amount of money that goes out of the country in consequence. Everybody is using coffee. If possible, this must be prevented. My people must drink beer. — Frederick the Great

I have no fault to find with those who teach geometry. That science is the only one which has not produced sects; it is founded on analysis and on synthesis and on the calculus; it does not occupy itself with the probable truth; moreover it has the same method in every country. — Frederick the Great

Christianity - An old metaphysical romance, filled with marvels, contradictions, and absurdity, born in the ardent imagination of Orientals, has spread into our Europe. Enthusiasts have purveyed it, careerists have pretended to accept it, imbeciles have believed it. — Frederick the Great

Do not neglect the principles of foresight and know that often, puffed up with success, armies have lost the fruit of their heroism through a feeling of false security. — Frederick the Great

Neither antiquity nor any other nation has imagined a more atrocious and blasphemous absurdity than that of eating God. This is how Christians treat the autocrat of the universe. — Frederick the Great

Euler calculated the force of the wheels necessary to raise the water in a reservoir ... My mill was carried out geometrically and could not raise a drop of water fifty yards from the reservoir. Vanity of vanities! Vanity of geometry! — Frederick the Great

I love opposition that has convictions. — Frederick the Great

Be more than you seem to be. — Frederick the Great

A man with his heart in his profession imagines and finds resources where the worthless and lazy despair. — Frederick the Great

The greatest and noblest pleasure which men can have in this world is to discover new truths; and the next is to shake off old prejudices. — Frederick the Great

Diplomacy without arms is like a concert without a score — Frederick the Great

Always presume that the enemy has dangerous designs and always be forehanded with the remedy. But do not let these calculations make your timid. — Frederick the Great

It is pardonable to be defeated, but never to be surprised. — Frederick the Great

Christianity is an old metaphysical fiction, stuffed with fables, contradictions and absurdities: it was spawned in the fevered imagination of the Orientals, and then spread to our Europe, where some fanatics espoused it, where some intriguers pretended to be convinced by it and where some imbeciles actually believed it. — Frederick the Great

Everybody is using coffee. If possible, this must be prevented. My people must drink beer. — Frederick the Great

One should never despair too soon. — Frederick the Great

To your care and recommendation am I indebted for having replaced a half-blind mathematician with a mathematician with both eyes, which will especially please the anatomical members of my Academy. — Frederick the Great

The truth is always the strongest argument. Sophocles Truth is a thing immortal and perpetual, and it gives to us a beauty that fades not away in time. — Frederick the Great

A man, who can, in cold blood, hunt and torture a poor, innocent animal, cannot feel much compassion for the distress of his own species. — Frederick the Great

Pleasure is the most real good in this life. — Frederick the Great

The people say what they like and then I do what I like — Frederick the Great

Life Lessons by Frederick the Great

1. Frederick the Great taught the importance of resilience and hard work, as he was able to transform Prussia from a small, insignificant state into a major European power.
2. He also demonstrated the importance of being well-informed and having a good understanding of the world, as he was an avid reader and kept himself updated with the latest news.
3. Lastly, Frederick the Great showed the importance of being a leader and taking initiative, as he was an inspiring leader who was able to motivate his troops to great success.