Alexander the Great Quotes
Alexander left no writings of his own, so every real Alexander quote reaches us through ancient historians, mainly Plutarch and Arrian, written centuries later. Below are the sayings those sources record, plus the viral quotes that have no ancient source at all.
4 real Alexander the Great quotes, with sources
“I would rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my power.”Alexander the Great — Plutarch, Life of Alexander 7 (letter to Aristotle)
“It is a lovely thing to live with courage and to die leaving behind an everlasting renown.”Alexander the Great — Arrian, Anabasis 5.26 (speech at the Hyphasis River)
“My father gave me life, but my teacher taught me to live well.”Alexander the Great — Paraphrase of Plutarch, Life of Alexander 8, on Aristotle
“Toil and risk are the price of glory.”Alexander the Great — Paraphrase of Arrian, Anabasis 5.26
Famous quotes Alexander the Great never said
“I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.”No ancient source records Alexander saying this. Versions of the proverb are credited to many people, and the Alexander attribution appears only in modern times.
“There is nothing impossible to him who will try.”Not found in Plutarch, Arrian or any ancient account of Alexander.
“Until breath leaves my body, defeat is just a rumour.”A modern line from social media with no historical source.
Who was Alexander the Great?
Tutored by Aristotle and king at twenty, Alexander led his army from Greece to the edge of India in just over a decade and never lost a major battle. He died in Babylon at 32, and his empire spread Greek culture across three continents. Read more on Wikipedia.
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What is Alexander the Great's most famous quote?
One of the best known is “I would rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my power.” (Plutarch, Life of Alexander 7)
Did Alexander the Great really say “I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.”?
No. No ancient source records Alexander saying this. Versions of the proverb are credited to many people, and the Alexander attribution appears only in modern times.
Did Alexander the Great really say “There is nothing impossible to him who will try.”?
No. Not found in Plutarch, Arrian or any ancient account of Alexander.
Did Alexander the Great really say “Until breath leaves my body, defeat is just a rumour.”?
No. A modern line from social media with no historical source.
Where do these Alexander the Great quotes come from?
Alexander left no writings of his own, so every real Alexander quote reaches us through ancient historians, mainly Plutarch and Arrian, written centuries later. Below are the sayings those sources record, plus the viral quotes that have no ancient source at all.
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