Great men, great nations have ever been perceivers of the terror of life, and have manned themselves to face it. Emerson.
Great men have their parasites. Sydney Smith.
Great men lose somewhat of their greatness by 20 being near us; ordinary men gain much. Landor.
Great men may jest with saints; 'tis wit in them, / But in the less, foul profanation. Meas. for Meas., ii. 2.
Great men need to be lifted upon the shoulders of the whole world, in order to conceive their great ideas or perform their great deeds; that is, there must be an atmosphere of greatness round about them. A hero cannot be a hero unless in a heroic world. Hawthorne.
Great men not only know their business, but they usually know that they know it, and are not only right in their main opinions, but they usually know that they are right in them. Ruskin.
Great men oft die by vile Bezonians. 2 Hen. VI., iv. 1.
Great men often rejoice at crosses of fortune, 25 just as brave soldiers do at wars. Sen.
Great men or men of great gifts you will easily find, but symmetrical men never. Emerson.
Great men, said Themistocles, are like the oaks, under the branches of which men are happy in finding a refuge in the time of storm and rain; but when they have to pass a sunny day under them, they take pleasure in cutting the bark and breaking the branches. Goethe.