WIST Quotations

Cicero, Marcus Tullius -- Philippics [Philippicae; Antonian Orations], No. 7, ch. 8 / sec. 25 (7.8/7/25) (43-01 BC) [ed. Harbottle (1906)]

Dave — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 16:07:18 +0000

For heaven’s sake beware, lest in the hope of maintaining peace now, we lose the chance of a lasting peace hereafter.

[Cavete, per deos immortales! patres conscripti, ne spe praesentis pacis perpetuam pacem amittatis.]

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BC) Roman orator, statesman, philosopher
Philippics [Philippicae; Antonian Orations], No. 7, ch. 8 / sec. 25 (7.8/7/25) (43-01 BC) [ed. Harbottle (1906)]
(Source)

Urging the Senate to discontinue negotiations with Mark Antony.

(Source (Latin)). Other translations:

Beware, I entreat you by the immortal gods, O conscript fathers, that out of hope of present peace you do not lose perpetual peace.
[tr. Yonge (1903)]

Take care in Heaven's name, Conscript Fathers, that you do not, in the hope of present peace, lose the peace that will endure.
[tr. Ker (Loeb) (1926)]

By the Immortal Gods!, Members of the Senate, beware of losing a lasting peace in the hope of immediate peace.
[tr. Manuwald (2007)]

Roosevelt, Franklin Delano -- Speech (1941-01-06) to Congress, Annual Message (State of the Union), “Four Freedoms,” Washington, D. C.

Dave — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 23:17:19 +0000

Principles of morality and considerations for our own security will never permit us to acquiesce in a peace dictated by aggressors and sponsored by appeasers. We know that enduring peace cannot be bought at the cost of other people’s freedom.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882–1945) American lawyer, politician, statesman, US President (1933–1945)
Speech (1941-01-06) to Congress, Annual Message (State of the Union), “Four Freedoms,” Washington, D. C.
(Source)

Ferber, Edna -- A Kind of Magic: An Autobiography (1963)

Dave — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 21:19:24 +0000

The man in the factory who has had to batter his way up through life in order to exist; the woman in the household, fending for her husband, her children; wary of deceit and false-dealing and bullying in the course of her busy day, know (and knew) instinctively that the bully must be met with instant repulse or he multiplies his own violence. A placated bully is a hand-fed bully. A Chamberlain, creeping home under the protection of his umbrella, tricked and ridiculed by the enemy, mouthing the peace-in-our-time fallacy, can cause the destruction of our world; and nearly did. One thing I’ve learned in life; you cannot placate the power-mad. You must — to paraphrase an old saying — take the bully by the horns. Early.

Edna Ferber (1886–1968) American author and playwright
A Kind of Magic: An Autobiography (1963)
(Source)

Roosevelt, Franklin Delano -- Speech (1940-12-29), “Fireside Chat: Arsenal of Democracy” (radio broadcast)

Dave — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 01:23:57 +0000

The experience of the past two years has proven beyond doubt that no nation can appease the Nazis. No man can tame a tiger into a kitten by stroking it. There can be no appeasement with ruthlessness. There can be no reasoning with an incendiary bomb. We know now that a nation can have peace with the Nazis only at the price of total surrender.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882–1945) American lawyer, politician, statesman, US President (1933–1945)
Speech (1940-12-29), “Fireside Chat: Arsenal of Democracy” (radio broadcast)
(Source)

Kipling, Rudyard -- School History, “Dane-Geld (A.D. 980-1016),” st. 3-4 (1911) [with C.R.L. Fletcher]

Dave — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 00:40:44 +0000

It is always a temptation to a rich and lazy nation,

To puff and look important and to say: —

“Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you.

We will therefore pay you cash to go away.”

And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
But we’ve proved it again and again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane.

Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936) English writer
School History, “Dane-Geld (A.D. 980-1016),” st. 3-4 (1911) [with C.R.L. Fletcher]
(Source)

Johnson, Lyndon -- Speech (1965-07-28), News Conference, White House, Washington, D. C.

Dave — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 23:47:14 +0000

Nor would surrender in Viet-Nam bring peace, because we learned from Hitler at Munich that success only feeds the appetite of aggression. The battle would be renewed in one country and then another country, bringing with it perhaps even larger and crueler conflict, as we have learned from the lessons of history.

Lyndon B. Johnson (1908–1973) American politician, educator, US President (1963–69)
Speech (1965-07-28), News Conference, White House, Washington, D. C.
(Source)

The pre-conference prepared remarks were the first definitive set of national policy statements as to America's growing military presence in Viet Nam. The idea that a Communist victory in Viet Nam would lead to similar wars in other nations was called the "Domino Theory."

Eisenhower, Dwight David -- “Security in the Free World,” broadcast speech (15 Mar 1959)

Dave — Tue, 03 May 2016 20:34:30 +0000

But all history has taught us the grim lesson that no nation has ever been successful in avoiding the terrors of war by refusing to defend its rights — by attempting to placate aggression.

Dwight David Eisenhower (1890–1969) American general, US President (1953–61)
“Security in the Free World,” broadcast speech (15 Mar 1959)

Ruskin, John -- The Two Paths, Lecture 5 (1859)

Dave — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 13:11:17 +0000

You may either win your peace or buy it: win it, by resistance to evil; buy it, by compromise with evil.

John Ruskin (1819–1900) English art critic, painter, writer, social thinker
The Two Paths, Lecture 5 (1859)

Bible, Vol. 1. Old Testament -- Book 30. Amos 5:21ff (Amos 5:21-24) [tr. NRSV (1989 ed.)]

Dave — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 12:33:00 +0000

I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them, and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

שָׂנֵ֥אתִי מָאַ֖סְתִּי חַגֵּיכֶ֑ם וְלֹ֥א אָרִ֖יחַ בְּעַצְּרֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
כִּ֣י אִם־תַּעֲלוּ־לִ֥י עֹל֛וֹת וּמִנְחֹתֵיכֶ֖ם לֹ֣א אֶרְצֶ֑ה וְשֶׁ֥לֶם מְרִיאֵיכֶ֖ם לֹ֥א אַבִּֽיט׃
הָסֵ֥ר מֵעָלַ֖י הֲמ֣וֹן שִׁרֶ֑יךָ וְזִמְרַ֥ת נְבָלֶ֖יךָ לֹ֥א אֶשְׁמָֽע׃
וְיִגַּ֥ל כַּמַּ֖יִם מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה כְּנַ֥חַל אֵיתָֽן׃

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 30. Amos 5:21ff (Amos 5:21-24) [tr. NRSV (1989 ed.)]
(Source)

(Source (Hebrew)). Other translations:

I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. 24 But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.
[KJV (1611)]

I hate and despise your feasts, I take no pleasure in your solemn festivals. When you offer me holocausts, I reject your oblations, and refuse to look at your sacrifices of fattened cattle. Let me have no more of the din of your chanting, no more of your strumming on harps. But let justice flow like water, and integrity like an unfailing stream.
[JB (1966)]

The Lord says, “I hate your religious festivals; I cannot stand them! When you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; I will not accept the animals you have fattened to bring me as offerings. Stop your noisy songs; I do not want to listen to your harps. Instead, let justice flow like a stream, and righteousness like a river that never goes dry."
[GNT (1976)]

I loathe, I spurn your festivals,
I am not appeased by your solemn assemblies.
If you offer Me burnt offerings -- or your grain offerings --
I will not accept them;
I will pay no heed
To your gifts of fatlings.
Spare Me the sound of your hymns,
And let Me not hear the music of your lutes.
But let justice well up like water,
Righteousness like an unfailing stream.
[RJPS (2006)]

I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!
[NIV (2011 ed.)]

Churchill, Winston -- (Attributed)

Dave — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:44:50 +0000

An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.

Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British statesman and author
(Attributed)

Churchill reportedly used used this phrase frequently prior to WWII, but it has not been found per se by Churchill scholars in his writings, speeches, press conferences, radio addresses, or parliamentary debates.

However, on a radio broadcast (20 Jan 1940), speaking of the neutral states standing by while Germany (and Russia) swallowed them up (referencing Finland fighting against Russia in particular), "Each one hopes that if he feeds the crocodile enough, the crocodile will eat him last. All of them hope that the storm will pass before their turn comes to be devoured. But I fear -- I fear greatly -- the storm will not pass. It will rage and it will roar, even more loudly, even more widely."

Also attributed to Franklin Roosevelt.

More discussion of this quotation: An Appeaser Is One Who Feeds a Crocodile, Hoping It Will Eat Him Last – Quote Investigator.

Inge, William Ralph -- “Patriotism,” Outspoken Essays: First Series (1915)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

But it must be remembered that, in spite of the proverb, it takes in reality only one to make a quarrel. It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favour of vegetarianism, while the wolf remains of a different opinion.

William Ralph Inge (1860–1954) English prelate [Dean Inge]
“Patriotism,” Outspoken Essays: First Series (1915)

Sometimes quoted as "while wolves remain of a different opinion."

Broun, Heywood -- (Attributed)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Appeasers believe that if you keep on throwing steaks to a tiger, the tiger will turn vegetarian.

Heywood Broun (1888–1939) American journalist, author
(Attributed)
(Source)

Quoted in Lin Yutang, The Wisdom of China and India (1942).

Safire, William -- “Giving War a Chance,” New York Times (2 Nov 1989)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Appeasement does not always lead to war; sometimes it leads to surrender.

William Safire (1929–2009) American author, columnist, journalist, speechwriter
“Giving War a Chance,” New York Times (2 Nov 1989)