Give not thy Enemy Despair; for it is a weapon more dangerous than Valour it self.
Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 1, # 531 (1725)
(Source)
Quotations about:
back into a corner
Note not all quotations have been tagged, so Search may find additional quotes on this topic.
If crisis management requires cold and even brutal measures to show determination, it also imposes the need to show the opponent a way out. Grandstanding is good for the ego but bad for foreign policy. […] Many wars have started because no line of retreat was left open.
It is dangerous to attack a man whom you have deprived of every means of escape except by fighting, for necessity is a violent schoolmistress.
[Il fait dangereux assaillir un homme, à qui vous avez osté tout autre moyen d’eschapper que par les armes : car c’est une violente maistresse d’escole que la necessité.]
Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) French essayist
Essays, Book 1, ch. 47 (1.47), “Of the Uncertainty of Our Judgment [De l’incertitude de nostre jugement]” (1572) [tr. Cohen (1958)]
(Source)
This essay was present in the 1st (1580) edition, and was expanded for each succeeding edition. This particular passage remained unchanged.
(Source (French)). Alternate translations:It is dangerous to assaile a man, whom you have bereaved of all other meanes to escape or shift for himselfe, but by his weapons: for, necessitie is a violent schoole-mistris, and which teacheth strange lessons.
[tr. Florio (1603)]It is dangerous to attack a man you have deprived of all means to escape, but by his arms; for necessity dictates violent measures.
[tr. Cotton (1686)]’Tis dangerous to attack a man you have deprived of all means to escape but by his arms, for necessity teaches violent resolutions.
[tr. Cotton/Hazlitt (1877)]It is dangerous to attack a man whom you have deprived of any other means of escape than fighting; for an impetuous schoolmistress is necessity.
[tr. Ives (1925)]It is dangerous to attack a man whom you have deprived of every other means of escape but that of weapons; for necessity is a violent schoolmistress.
[tr. Frame (1943)]It is hazardous to go and attack a man when you have deprived him of all means of escape save his weapons, for Necessity is a ferocious teacher.
[tr. Screech (1987)]
