Painterly weathered bronze medallion partly buried in pale sand beside dry twigs.

Original artwork, not a still

Napoleon Bonaparte

Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

Napoleon contrasts fame with being forgotten. Glory passes quickly, he says, but obscurity lasts for good. It's a blunt warning that being celebrated is brief while being forgotten is the permanent state, so ambition has a sting.

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