The barbarous custom of having men beaten who are suspected of having important secrets to reveal must be abolished. It has always been recognized that this way of interrogating men, by putting them to torture, produces nothing worthwhile. Napoleon Bonaparte More Quotes by Napoleon Bonaparte More Quotes From Napoleon Bonaparte Our hour is marked, and no one can claim a moment of life beyond what fate has predestined. Napoleon Bonaparte fate army moments Alexander, Charlemagne and myself all tried to found an empire on force and we failed. Jesus Christ is building an empire on love, and today there are millions of people who would gladly die for His sake. Napoleon Bonaparte inspiration people jesus Ordinary men died, men of iron were taken prisoner: I only brought back with me men of bronze. Napoleon Bonaparte army taken men Nothing is lost as long as courage remains Napoleon Bonaparte remains lost long I want the whole of Europe to have one currency; it will make trading much easier. Napoleon Bonaparte currency want europe Reconnaissance memoranda should always be written in the simplest style and be purely descriptive. They should never stray from their objective by introducing extraneous ideas. Napoleon Bonaparte style communication ideas A prince should suspect everything. Napoleon Bonaparte suspects should Bloodletting is among the ingredients of political medicine. Napoleon Bonaparte medicine political power I have made noise enough in the world already, perhaps too much, and am now getting old, and want retirement. Napoleon Bonaparte noise want retirement Friendship is but a name. I love no one. Napoleon Bonaparte names friendship When Monarchs abuse the rights with which they have been invested by the confidence of the people, and bring down upon their heads the calamity of war, the people have the right to withdraw their allegiance. Napoleon Bonaparte rights war people The greatest ornament of an illustrious life is modesty and humility, which go a great way in the character even of the most exalted princes. Napoleon Bonaparte ornaments humility character In the eyes of empire builders men are not men but instruments. Napoleon Bonaparte military war peace In these days the invention of printing, and the diffusion of knowledge, render historical calumnies a little less dangerous: truth will always prevail in the long run, but how slow its progress! Napoleon Bonaparte historical running long In war, as in love, we must come into contact before we triumph. Napoleon Bonaparte contact triumph war It strengthens the bonds between nations to have the same civil laws and the same monetary system. Napoleon Bonaparte monetary-system nations law Do you know what astonished me the most in this world? The inability of force to create anything. Napoleon Bonaparte inability force world It would be a joke if the conduct of the victor had to be justified to the vanquished. Napoleon Bonaparte power would-be war To listen to the interests of all marks an ordinary government; to foresee them marks a great government. Napoleon Bonaparte mark government ordinary I feel myself driven towards an end that I do not know. As soon as I shall have reached it, as soon as I shall become unnecessary, an atom will suffice to shatter me. Till then, not all the forces of mankind can do anything against me. Napoleon Bonaparte unnecessary atoms grieving