Fame is the inheritance not of the dead, but of the living. It is we who look back with lofty pride to the great names of antiquity.

Summary

This quote suggests that fame is not something that the deceased can possess or enjoy. Instead, it implies that fame is bestowed upon individuals by the living, as they are the ones who remember, honor, and hold in high regard those great figures from the past. It highlights the idea that it is our retrospective admiration and reverence for the accomplishments of historical figures that grants them their enduring fame.

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