Frasi da libro
Glimpses of World History

Name: Glimpses of World History
Author: Sri Jawaharlal Nehru

“Gengis Khan e i suoi mongoli erano crudeli e distruttivi, ma come gli altri della loro epoca. Tamerlano, però, era di gran lunga peggiore. Si distingue per sfrenata e diabolica crudeltà.”

Sri Jawaharlal Nehru libro Glimpses of World History

Chengiz Khan and his Mongols were cruel and destructive, but they were like others of their time. But Timur was much worse. He stands apart for wanton and fiendish cruelty.
Origine: Glimpses of World History, p. 247

“I do not know when or where these letters will be published, or whether they will be published at all, for India is a strange land to-day and it is difficult to prophesy.”

Sri Jawaharlal Nehru libro Glimpses of World History

Glimpses of World History, Incipit

“La violenza è un fenomeno abbastanza comune nella storia, ma è considerata di solito una dolorosa necessità, e viene giustificata e spiegata. Il fascismo, però, non credeva affatto in nessun simile atteggiamento apologetico verso la violenza. La accettarono e la lodarono apertamente, e la praticarono sebbene non ci fosse alcuna resistenza contro di loro.”

Sri Jawaharlal Nehru libro Glimpses of World History

Violence is a common enough phenomenon in history, but usually it is considered a painful necessity and it is excused and explained. Fascism, however, did not believe in any such apologetic attitude towards violence. They accepted it and praised it openly, and they practised it even though there was no resistance to them.
Origine: Glimpses of World History, pp. 818-819

“Il fascismo aveva trionfato e Mussolini era al comando. Ma che cosa rappresentava? Quale era il suo programma e la sua politica? I grandi movimenti sono quasi invariabilmente costruiti attorno ad una ideologia ben definita che cresce attorno a certi principi immutabili e ha obbiettivi e programmi definiti. Il fascismo si distingueva solo per il fatto di non avere alle sue spalle né principi fissi, né ideologia, né filosofia, a meno che possa essere considerata una filosofia la sola opposizione al socialismo, al comunismo e al liberalismo.”

Sri Jawaharlal Nehru libro Glimpses of World History

Fascism had triumphed and Mussolini was in control. But what did he stand for? What was his programme and policy? Great movements are almost invariably built up round a clear-cut ideology which grows up round certain fixed principles and has definite objectives and programmes. Fascism had the unique distinction of having no fixed principles, no ideology, no philosophy behind it, unless the mere opposition to socialism, communism, and liberalism might be considered to be a philosophy.
Origine: Glimpses of World History, pp. 817-818

“Si dice che queste corti Mogol fossero magnifiche, ed erano forse le più ricche e splendide mai esistite.”

Sri Jawaharlal Nehru libro Glimpses of World History

It is said that these Moghul Courts were magnificent, and were perhaps the richest and most splendid that have ever existed.
Origine: Glimpses of World History, p. 288

“Erano un popolo strano, questi mongoli; estremamente efficienti per certi aspetti e quasi infantili in altri. Persino la loro ferocia e crudeltà, per quanto fosse impressionante, ha una componente infantile. È questo infantilismo in loro, penso, che rende piuttosto attraenti questi feroci guerrieri.”

Sri Jawaharlal Nehru libro Glimpses of World History

They were a strange people, these Mongols; highly efficient in some ways, and almost childish in other matters. Even their ferocity and cruelty, shocking as it was, has a childish element to it. It is this childishness in them, I think, that makes these fierce warriors rather attractive.
Origine: Glimpses of World History, p. 225

“Gengis è senza alcun dubbio il più grande genio militare e condottiero della storia. Alessandro e Cesare appaiono insignificanti in confronto.”

Sri Jawaharlal Nehru libro Glimpses of World History

Chengiz is, without doubt, the greatest military genius and leader in history. Alexander and Caesar seem petty before him.
Origine: Glimpses of World History, p. 216

“Si chiamava Teodosio, ed è chiamato il Grande, suppongo perché era grande nel distruggere i vecchi templi e le vecchie statue degli dei e delle dee. Non solo era fortemente contrario a coloro che non erano cristiani: era ugualmente aggressivo nei confronti dei cristiani che non erano ortodossi secondo il suo modo di pensare. Non tollerava alcuna opinione o religione che non approvava.”

Sri Jawaharlal Nehru libro Glimpses of World History

His name was Theodosius, and he is called the Great, I suppose because he was great in destroying the old temples and the old statues of the gods and goddesses. He was not only strongly opposed to those who were not Christians: he was equally aggressive against Christians who were not orthodox according to his way of thinking. He would tolerate no opinion or religion of which he did not approve.
Origine: Glimpses of World History, p. 139

“La parola unno è diventata una terribile parola di biasimo. Così per la parola vandalo pure la parola vandalo. Questi unni e vandali erano probabilmente rozzi e crudeli e causarono molti danni, ma dobbiamo tener presente che tutti i resoconti su di essi di cui disponiamo vengono dai loro nemici, i romani, e non ci si può certo aspettare che siano imparziali.”

Sri Jawaharlal Nehru libro Glimpses of World History

The word Hun has become a terrible term of reproach. So also has the word Vandal. Probably these Huns and Vandals were rather coarse and cruel and did a lot of damage, but we must remember that all the accounts of them that we have got are from their enemies the Romans, and one can hardly expect them to be impartial.
Origine: Glimpses of World History, p. 91

“È uno dei prodigi della storia il modo in cui gli ebrei, senza patria o rifugio, vessati e perseguitati oltre misura, e spesso fino alla morte, abbiano preservato la loro identità e siano rimasti uniti per oltre duemila anni.”

Sri Jawaharlal Nehru libro Glimpses of World History

It is one of the wonders of history how the Jews, without a home or a refuge, harassed and persecuted beyond measure, and often done to death, have preserved their identity and held together for over 2000 years.
Origine: Glimpses of World History, p. 85

“Ashoka divenne un fervente buddista e tentò con tutte le sue forze di diffondere il Dharma. Ma non esercitava alcuna forza o costrizione. Solo conquistando i cuori degli uomini tentò di fare convertiti. Gli uomini di religione sono stati raramente, molto raramente, tolleranti quanto Ashoka.”

Sri Jawaharlal Nehru libro Glimpses of World History

Ashoka became an ardent Buddhist and tried his utmost to spread the Dharma. But there was no force or compulsion. It was only by winning men's hearts that he sought to make converts. Men of religion have seldom, very seldom, been as tolerant as Ashoka.
Origine: Glimpses of World History, p. 63

“Temo di avere un debole per criticare re e principi. Vedo poco da ammirare o ossequiare in loro. Ma ora stiamo arrivando a un uomo che, sebbene fosse un re e un imperatore, era grande e degno di ammirazione. Era Ashoka, nipote di Chandragupta Maurya.”

Sri Jawaharlal Nehru libro Glimpses of World History

I am afraid I am a little too fond of running down kings and princes. I see little in their kind to admire or do reverence to. But we are now coming to a man who, in spite of being a king and emperor, was great and worthy of admiration. He was Ashoka, the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya.
Origine: Glimpses of World History, p. 61