Home > Work > A History of the World in 100 Objects

A History of the World in 100 Objects QUOTES

A History of the World in 100 Objects QUOTES

1 " It is impossible to exaggerate how powerfully this object would affect any believer kneeling in front of it. The blood drawn by this worthless thorn will save immortal souls, and so nothing earthly can be too precious for it, neither the sapphire it stands on, nor the rock crystal that protects it, nor the ruby and pearls that frame it. This is a sermon in gold and jewels, an aid to contemplation and a source of the deepest comfort. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

2 " Toda traducción tiene siempre algo de traición. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

3 " El hombre racional no puede dejar de luchar contra la irracionalidad bruta. Esta deshumanización del enemigo lleva a una senda peligrosa, pero constituye un magnífico grito de guerra cuando se libra un conflicto bélico. Si se pretende mantener a raya el caos. dice el mensaje, la razón tendrá que luchar una y otra vez contra la sinrazón. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

4 " La presencia de la tranquilidad en una obra de arte apunta a una gran civilización interna, puesto que no se puede tener tranquilidad sin reflexión, sin haberse formulado las grandes preguntas sobre el propio lugar en el universo y haber respondido a ellas con un cierto grado de satisfacción. Eso es lo que significa la civilización para mí. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

5 " My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair! "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

6 " And the more you look at the history of Homo sapiens, it’s all about movement, right from the very first time they decided to leave Africa. It is this restlessness which seems a very significant factor in the way the planet was settled by humans. It does seem that we are not settled. We think we are, but we are still looking for somewhere else where something is better – where it’s warmer, it’s more pleasant. Maybe there is an element, a spiritual element, of hope in this – that you are going to find somewhere that is wonderful. It’s the search for paradise, the search for the perfect land – maybe that’s at the bottom of it all, all the time. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

7 " It is, as we know, the victors who write the history, especially when only the victors know how to write. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

8 " That idea of the state as a ship and its ruler as the helmsman or captain is a very old one in European culture. It is frequently used by Cicero, and indeed our word ‘governor’ comes from the Latin for ‘helmsman’ – gubernator. Even more enticingly, the root of gubernator is the Greek kubernetes, which is also the origin of our word ‘cybernetics’; so the notions of ruling, steering and robotics all coincide in our language – and in this galleon. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

9 " After his death, Augustus was declared a god by the Senate, to be worshipped by the Romans. His titles Augustus and Caesar were adopted by every subsequent emperor, and the month of Sextilius was officially renamed August in his honour. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

10 " Gold was the attribute of the great Inca sun god and represented his generative powers – gold was described as the ‘sweat of the Sun’, while silver was the ‘tears of the Moon’. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

11 " Seventeenth-century Europe was still largely illiterate – even in the cities no more than a third of people could read – so prints with images and just a few key words were the most effective means of mass communication. Even today we all know a well-crafted cartoon can be lethal in public debate. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

12 " The Rhind Papyrus teaches you all you need to know for a dazzling administrative career. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

13 " It is effectively a crammer for the Egyptian civil service exams around 1550 BC. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

14 " What does a great empire do when faced with imminent invasion and destruction? It can rearm at home and seek allies abroad; but more cunningly it can revisit its history to forge a myth that will unite the people and carry them through to victory, a myth that will demonstrate to everyone that their country has been specially chosen by history to uphold justice and righteousness. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

15 " An act of translation is always an act of betrayal. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

16 " It is, as we know, the victors who write the history, especially when only the victors know how to write. Those who are on the losing side, those whose societies are conquered or destroyed, often have only their things to tell their stories. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

17 " My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!’ Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

18 " And the Lord was with him: and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

19 " The Bible understandably glosses over the disagreeable fact that Sennacherib responded by brutally seizing the cities of Judah until Hezekiah was crushed, "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects

20 " Como se sabe, son los vencedores quienes escriben la historia (...) aquellos cuyas sociedades son conquistadas o destruidas, a menudo solo disponen de sus objetos para contar su historia. "

― Neil MacGregor , A History of the World in 100 Objects