30 Best Christopher Columbus Quotes To Inspire You

Discover the best Christopher Columbus quotes from the famous explorer that reflect his adventurous spirit, the triumph of his voyages, and the challenges he faced. These exploration quotes give you insight into Columbus’s mindset and the motivations behind his historic voyages.

Christopher Columbus was a renowned navigator and explorer, best known for his explorations and expeditions that led to the discovery of the New World.

Born in Genoa, Italy, around 1451, Columbus wanted to find a westward sea route to Asia, as it would provide faster access to valuable spices and riches.

Backed by the Spanish monarchs, King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I, Columbus made four significant voyages across the Atlantic between 1492 and 1504.

His first voyage in 1492 led to the discovery of the Caribbean Islands, marking the beginning of European exploration and colonization of the Americas.

Although Columbus never reached Asia, his journeys remain important in global exploration and the history of the Americas.

Columbus’s legacy is complex and controversial. While he is credited with the discovery of the New World, his expeditions also led to the exploitation and suffering of indigenous peoples.

In his honor, Columbus Day is celebrated as a national holiday in many countries to commemorate the landing of Christopher Columbus in the Americas on October 12, 1492.

Below are some of the most famous Christopher Columbus quotes that will inspire you to work hard to achieve your goals.

Top 10 Christopher Columbus Quotes

1. “Gold is the most precious of all commodities.” — Christopher Columbus
2. “Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World.” — Christopher Columbus 

   
3. “Life has more imagination than we carry in our dreams.” — Christopher Columbus 

   

4. “It is easy to discover what another has discovered before.” — Christopher Columbus

   

5. “Riches don’t make a man rich, they only make him busier.” — Christopher Columbus     

   

6. “The sea will grant each man new hope, and sleep will bring dreams of home.” — Christopher Columbus

   

7. “Thus God gives victory to those who follow His way over apparent impossibilities.” — Christopher Columbus    

   

8. “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” — Christopher Columbus                                                                                                                                                                        

   

9. “By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination.” — Christopher Columbus   

   

10. “Goals are simply tools to focus your energy in positive directions, these can be changed as your priorities change, new one added, and others dropped.” — Christopher Columbus

Famous Quotes By Christopher Columbus 

1. “When there are such lands there should be profitable things without number.” — Christopher Columbus
2. “I have come to believe that this is a mighty continent which was hitherto unknown.” — Christopher Columbus
3. “The air soft as that of Seville in April, and so fragrant that it was delicious to breathe it.” — Christopher Columbus
4. “Tomorrow morning before we depart, I intend to land and see what can be found in the neighborhood.” — Christopher Columbus
5. “Each day we understand better what the Indians say, and they us, so that very often we are intelligible to each other.” — Christopher Columbus
6. “These people are very unskilled in arms… with 50 men they could all be subjected and made to do all that one wished.” — Christopher Columbus
7. “Gold is a treasure, and he who possesses it does all he wishes to in this world, and succeeds in helping souls into paradise.” — Christopher Columbus
8. “Weep for me, whoever has charity, truth and justice! I did not come on this voyage for gain, honor or wealth, that is certain.” — Christopher Columbus
9. “For this purpose I determined to keep an account of the voyage, and to write down punctually every thing we performed or saw from day to day, as will hereafter appear.” — Christopher Columbus
10. “One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time. Variants include “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore”.” — Christopher Columbus

Best Quotes From Christopher Columbus

1. “For the execution of the voyage to the Indies, I did not make use of intelligence, mathematics or maps.” — Christopher Columbus
2. “It is hoped that by God’s assistance, some of the continents in the Ocean will be discovered … for the Glory of God.” — Christopher Columbus
3. “My desire was not to pass any island without taking possession, so that, one having been taken, the same may be said of all.” — Christopher Columbus
4. “No one should fear to undertake any task in the name of our Saviour, if it is just and if the intention is purely for His holy service.” — Christopher Columbus
5. “Sailed this day nineteen leagues, and determined to count less than the true number, that the crew might not be dismayed if the voyage should prove long.” — Christopher Columbus
6. “But in truth, should I meet with gold or spices in great quantity, I shall remain till I collect as much as possible, and for this purpose I am proceeding solely in quest of them.” — Christopher Columbus
7. “Nothing that results in human progress is achieved with unanimous consent. Those that are enlightened before the others are condemned to pursue that light in spite of the others.” — Christopher Columbus
8. “I ordered each man to be presented with something, as strings of ten or a dozen glass beads apiece, and thongs of leather, all which they estimated highly; those which came on board I directed should be fed with molasses.” — Christopher Columbus
9. “I am a most noteworthy sinner, but I have cried out to the Lord for grace and mercy, and they have covered me completely. I have found the sweetest consolation since I made it my whole purpose to enjoy His marvellous Presence.” — Christopher Columbus
10. “I have always read that the world, both land and water, was spherical, as the authority and researches of Ptolemy and all the others who have written on this subject demonstrate and prove, as do the eclipses of the moon and other experiments that are made from east to west, and the elevation of the North Star from north to south.” — Christopher Columbus

Conclusion

What are your favorite Christopher Columbus quotes and sayings (with images, memes, and wallpapers) that have inspired you the most? If there is a quote that we’ve missed then let us know in the comments section what your thoughts are.

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