Top 10 Quotes & Sayings by Hugo Grotius

Explore popular quotes and sayings by a Dutch lawyer Hugo Grotius.

Last updated on April 19, 2025.

Hugo Grotius, also known as Huig de Groot and Hugo de Groot, was a Dutch humanist, diplomat, lawyer, theologian, jurist, poet and playwright.

Dutch - Lawyer | April 10, 1583 - August 28, 1645

Source: Wikipedia

Liberty is the power that we have over ourselves.

Hugo Grotius

Ignorance of certain subjects is a great part of wisdom.

Hugo Grotius

A state is a perfect body of free men, united together to enjoy common rights and advantages.

Hugo Grotius

I have spent my life laboriously doing nothing.

Hugo Grotius

A man cannot govern a nation if he cannot govern a city; he cannot govern a city if he cannot govern a family; he cannot govern a family unless he can govern himself; and he cannot govern himself unless his passions are subject to reason

Hugo Grotius

Tis long ere time can mitigate your grief; To wisdom fly, she quickly brings relief.

Hugo Grotius

By undertaking many things, I have accomplished nothing.

Hugo Grotius

Men rush to arms for slight causes, or no cause at all, and once taken up there is no longer any respect for law, divine or human.

Hugo Grotius

I saw in the whole Christian world a license of fighting at which even barbarous nations might blush. Wars were begun on trifling pretexts or none at all, and carried on without any reference of law, Divine or human.

Hugo Grotius

Even God cannot make two times two not make four.

Hugo Grotius

Top 10 Quotes & Sayings by Hugo Grotius

Related Authors