Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes great things

In the voice of solemn wisdom, the Roman historian Sallust wrote: “Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes great things decay.” In these few words lies an eternal truth—one that binds families, nations, and the very fabric of human existence. For harmony is not mere agreement, but the sacred balance of spirit, the alignment of hearts and minds toward a common purpose. Where harmony dwells, even the smallest seed flourishes into greatness. But where discord takes root, even mighty empires crumble into dust.

Sallust lived in the age of Rome’s political turmoil, a time when ambition and corruption had begun to corrode the unity that once made the Republic strong. He saw firsthand how disharmony among leaders—the greed, the envy, the lust for power—slowly ate away at Rome’s greatness. In his histories, he chronicled the fall of noble ideals under the weight of pride and division. Thus, when he spoke of harmony and decay, he was not writing poetry, but prophecy. He saw that no empire, no matter how vast, can endure when its people no longer move as one.

To the ancients, harmony was more than a virtue—it was a law of the universe. The Greeks called it harmonia, the divine order that joined the stars in their courses and tuned the lyre of Apollo. Pythagoras taught that harmony governed both music and the soul, that when all parts worked in proportion, beauty was born. Sallust, standing upon the shoulders of such wisdom, applied this cosmic principle to the human world. In friendship, in governance, in the household and the heart—he saw that unity sustains, division destroys.

History offers countless mirrors of this truth. Consider the rise and fall of Athens, the jewel of Greece. When its people stood in harmony—citizens, soldiers, philosophers, and artists—the city shone like the sun of the world, birthing democracy and wisdom that still endure today. But when envy and arrogance divided it—when leaders sought glory for themselves rather than the good of the city—Athens fell to ruin. The same can be said of Rome, of kingdoms, of companies, of families. In all things, discord is the shadow that follows greatness; it waits only for the moment when unity falters.

And yet, Sallust’s words are not only a warning—they are a summons to creation. For if harmony can make small things grow, then the humblest beginning may blossom into magnificence when unity and goodwill are its roots. A team bound by trust will achieve what no lone genius can. A family joined in love will weather any storm. A community that seeks peace rather than victory will thrive beyond measure. In harmony, the weak become strong, and the small become mighty.

Think of the Wright brothers, two simple men with limited means, bound not by wealth but by shared purpose. They worked together in perfect harmony—each complementing the other’s strength, each correcting the other’s fault. From their unity came flight itself, the triumph of human aspiration over the bounds of earth. Such is the power of harmony: it multiplies the strength of individuals into something divine.

So let this teaching be passed to all who listen: guard harmony as you would guard your life. In your home, seek not to be right, but to be kind. In your work, seek not glory, but cooperation. In your nation, seek not victory over your neighbor, but the flourishing of all. For it is written in both nature and history that the tree whose roots grow together stands firm, but the one divided at its core will surely fall.

And remember, harmony does not mean sameness—it means balance. Each voice, each gift, each difference adds to the beauty of the whole when tuned to the same purpose. The wise do not silence dissent; they turn it into music. Therefore, strive to live as the ancients taught and as Sallust proclaimed: nurture harmony wherever you walk. For with it, even the smallest seed of goodness will grow into greatness—and without it, even the mightiest empire will decay into silence.