A collection of quotes from people of the past: messages from famous military commanders and great figures of the world.
Famous Japanese military commanders and world-renowned great figures have left behind many memorable quotes over the course of long history.
In this article, we’ll introduce quotes from such figures of the past!
Among the sayings they left us are words that inspire people living today, expressions that convey stern strength, and insights that can serve as hints when taking action—each filled with various sentiments.
When you’re unsure about something in life or facing a moment that makes you feel like giving up, please take a look at the quotes we introduce.
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Collection of quotes from people of the past. Messages from famous military commanders and world-renowned great figures (1–10)
Find a way. If there isn’t one, make one.NEW!Hannibal Barca
Hannibal Barca, renowned as Carthage’s great general who defeated the Roman army at the Battle of Cannae.
This famous quote is undeniably the powerful words of a true commander.
In 221 BCE, at the young age of twenty-six, he became the army’s commander and achieved numerous victories.
Perhaps this was because, as the quote suggests, he constantly sought ways to win, and if none could be found, he would create them himself.
His lofty ambition and unwavering resolve elevated him to a great general and made him a figure remembered and spoken of to this day.
Your happiness in life depends on the quality of your thoughts.NEW!Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, one of the Five Good Emperors and the 16th Roman emperor.
He is also known for leaving behind his work Meditations, and can be regarded as a model of a philosopher-king who preferred learning over war.
He was also a thinker within Stoic philosophy.
The happiness of life changes according to the quality of one’s own thoughts.
Controlling the mind and emotions through thought also affects how we ultimately interpret things.
In other words, a single way of thinking can make you happy—or unhappy.
People deserve praise or blame solely based on whether they have the perseverance to see things through.NEW!Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci, a master artist of the Renaissance known for The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa.
From this quote he left behind, we can sense the importance of perseverance.
The ability to carry through without abandoning what you have decided to do is essential for success.
By continuing to make efforts without giving up until the end, people earn praise and etch their names into history.
Leonardo da Vinci is known as a remarkably versatile figure, even called a “universal genius.” Perhaps it was precisely because he possessed this power of perseverance.
Collection of quotes from historical figures: Messages from famous warlords and globally renowned greats (11–20)
As you stretch yourself to broaden your horizons, it’s possible you’ll actually grow taller. That’s part of what makes life interesting.NEW!Saburō Shiroyama
This quote left by the novelist Saburō Jōyama teaches us the importance of taking on challenges.
Don’t you sometimes find yourself thinking with a narrow perspective? It’s easy to let yourself be carried along without broadening your view or attempting anything new.
But if you widen your perspective just a little, you may realize that what you face is easier to overcome than you thought.
When you stretch yourself to take on a challenge, you begin to see a different landscape—as if you’ve actually grown taller.
When you want to take that first step, remember these words.
No success for those without dreams.Yoshida Shōin
Samurai, thinker, educator—Yoshida Shōin was a man of many facets.
At the Shōka Sonjuku, he is known for having nurtured many figures who would play key roles in the Meiji Restoration, including Takasugi Shinsaku, Kusaka Genzui, and Yoshida Toshimaro.
“There is no success for those without dreams” is one of his famous sayings.
It may seem obvious, yet it resonates deeply.
By having a dream you wish to fulfill, making it your driving force, working hard, and continuing to take on challenges, you can achieve success.
If you want to succeed, you must first have a dream.
Do you have a dream?
If you try, you can achieve; if you don’t try, you won’t. Whatever fails to be accomplished fails because people do not attempt it.Uesugi Yōzan
This is a poem composed by Uesugi Yōzan, who, as the lord of the Yonezawa Domain, mainly carried out reforms to restore its finances.
It conveys the lesson: “If you make the effort, you can do it; if you cannot, it is because you did not make the effort,” and he is said to have passed this poem on to his retainers.
The phrase ‘If you do it, it will be achieved’ (naseba naru) originally comes from an ancient Chinese proverb, and poems using the phrase were also composed by Takeda Shingen and Hirata Atsutane.
Their versions differ somewhat in nuance from Uesugi Yōzan’s, so if you’re interested, please look them up.
It can’t be helped.Oda Nobunaga
Nobunaga Oda, one of the Three Great Unifiers of the Sengoku period, rose to become the ruler of the realm but was overthrown when his vassal Akechi Mitsuhide rebelled.
Many are familiar with his final battle, the Incident at Honnō-ji.
The famous phrase “Shikata ga nai” (literally, ‘It can’t be helped’), often quoted as “Zehi ni oyobazu,” is said to have been what he uttered upon being told that the traitor was Akechi Mitsuhide.
Taken at face value, the words express a sense of resignation—‘there’s nothing to be done.’ Perhaps it was precisely because Nobunaga knew his vassals’ abilities and strengths so well that these words came out of him.