WIST Quotations

Harris, Sydney J. -- “Nations Should Submit to the Rule of Law,” Clearing the Ground (1986)

Dave — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 04:05:04 +0000

“Terrorism” is what we call the violence of the weak, and we condemn it; “war” is what we call the violence of the strong, and we glorify it.

Sydney J. Harris (1917–1986) Anglo-American columnist, journalist, author
“Nations Should Submit to the Rule of Law,” Clearing the Ground (1986)

Aesop -- Fables [Aesopica], “The Wolf and the Kid” (6th C BC) [tr. Jacobs (1894)]

Dave — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 16:00:32 +0000

It is easy to be brave from a safe distance.

Aesop (620?-560? BC) Legendary Greek storyteller
Fables [Aesopica], “The Wolf and the Kid” (6th C BC) [tr. Jacobs (1894)]

Another translation: "Time and place often give the advantage to the weak over the strong." [tr. Townsend (1887), "The Kid and the Wolf"]

Bidault, Georges -- In The Observer (15 Jul 1962)

Dave — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 14:50:02 +0000

The weak have one weapon: the errors of those who think they are strong.

Georges Bidault (1899–1983) French politician, diplomat
In The Observer (15 Jul 1962)

~Proverbs and Sayings -- Latin proverb

Dave — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 13:33:55 +0000

Gentle in manner, strong in deed.

[Suaviter in modo, fortirer in re.]

Proverbs, Sayings, and Adages
Latin proverb

Pres. Dwight Eisenhower kept a small wooden sign with this proverb on his desk at the White House.

Merton, Thomas -- No Man Is an Island, 7.7 (1955)

Dave — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 13:49:25 +0000

When we are strong, we are always much greater than the things that happen to us.

Thomas Merton (1915–1968) French-American religious and writer [a.k.a. Fr. M. Louis]
No Man Is an Island, 7.7 (1955)

Orwell, George -- Essay (1948-06), “‘Such, Such Were the Joys …’,” Partisan Review (1952-09)

Dave — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 12:47:49 +0000

At the time I could not see beyond the moral dilemma that is presented to the weak in a world governed by the strong: Break the rules or perish.

George Orwell (1903–1950) English journalist, essayist, writer [pseud. of Eric Arthur Blair]
Essay (1948-06), “‘Such, Such Were the Joys …’,” Partisan Review (1952-09)

This autobiographical essay was drafted around 1939, revised around 1946, and then completed in May or June of 1948. Collected in Such, Such Were the Joys, essay 8 (1953), though the full, unredacted version was not published until 2000.

Keough, Hugh E. -- (Attributed)

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

It may be that the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong — but that’s the way to bet.

Hugh E. Keough (1864–1912) Canadian-American sports journalist
(Attributed)

Variants:

"The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; but the betting is best that way."
"To be sure the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; but it is ninety-nine times in a hundred."

Also attributed to Damon Runyon, Franklin Pierce Adams, Grantland Rice, and Burns Mantle, all of of whom in turn credited Keough. The saying itself, a take-off on Ecclesiastes 9:11, has a number of antecedents: see here for more background.

Dietrich, Marlene -- Marlene Dietrich’s ABC, “Weakness” (1962)

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

The weak are more likely to make the strong weak than the strong are likely to make the weak strong.

Marlene Dietrich (1901–1992) German-American actress, singer
Marlene Dietrich’s ABC, “Weakness” (1962)