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Quotes about courage
Ancient writers filed courage among the virtues and argued over what it was. Aristotle put it between cowardice and recklessness, and later writers kept that picture of a fear held at the right size.
Montaigne confessed to fear and studied it with interest. Emerson wrote an essay on heroism that prizes persistence and self-trust over reasoning it through. Mostly these writers describe courage as something you do while the nerves are still there.
From the books
Checked word for word against public-domain editions.
Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once.
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Whose end is purpos’d by the mighty gods? Yet Caesar shall go forth; for these predictions Are to the world in general as to Caesar. CALPHURNIA. When beggars die, there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. CAESAR. Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me most strange that men should fear, Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come. Enter Servant. What say the augurers? SERVANT. They would not have you to stir forth today.
The freest song comes not through bars and wires.
To be great is to be misunderstood.
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… every thing you said to-day.—‘Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.’—Is it so bad then to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.
Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ’em.
Perfect valour is to do without witnesses what one would do before all the world.
Courage mounteth with occasion.
Courage may be displayed in everyday life as well as in historic fields of action.
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But the greater part of the courage that is needed in the world is not of a heroic kind. Courage may be displayed in everyday life as well as in historic fields of action. There needs, for example, the common courage to be honest—the courage to resist temptation—the courage to speak the truth—the courage to be what we really are, and not to pretend to be what we are not—the courage to live honestly within our own means, and not dishonestly upon the means of others.
The great epochs of our life are at the points when we gain courage to rebaptize our badness as the best in us.
Assent, and you are sane; Demur, — you're straightway dangerous, And handled with a chain.
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His presence is enchantment, You beg him not to go; Old volumes shake their vellum heads And tantalize, just so. XI. Much madness is divinest sense To a discerning eye; Much sense the starkest madness. 'T is the majority In this, as all, prevails. Assent, and you are sane; Demur, — you're straightway dangerous, And handled with a chain. XII. I asked no other thing, No other was denied. I offered Being for it; The mighty merchant smiled. Brazil? He twirled a button, Without a glance my way: "But, madam, is there nothing else That we can show to-day?" XIII. EXCLUSION.
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.
The more men have to lose, the less willing are they to venture.
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… sufficiently informs us, that the bravest achievements were always accomplished in the non-age of a nation. With the increase of commerce, England hath lost its spirit. The city of London, notwithstanding its numbers, submits to continued insults with the patience of a coward. The more men have to lose, the less willing are they to venture. The rich are in general slaves to fear, and submit to courtly power with the trembling duplicity of a Spaniel.
Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless in facing them.
Give me the strength never to disown the poor or bend my knees before insolent might.
Be that thou know’st thou art, and then thou art As great as that thou fear’st.
What a new face courage puts on everything!
Magnanimity befits all mortal men, even the humblest of all; for what can be greater or braver than to resist ill fortune?
Genius can only breathe freely in an atmosphere of freedom.
Men of sterling character have the courage to speak the truth, even when it is unpopular.
A sublime self-faith is absolutely indispensable to all great achievement.
Let that belief which you hold alone, have free course.
Let me not bend my heart to the yoke of the many.
We are too timid, too fearful of results even to attempt what we long to do.
Forward with us, courageous reader; be it towards failure, or towards success!
True courage is not ostentatious; men who wish to inspire terror seem thereby to confess themselves cowards.
Nothing happens to any man which he is not formed by nature to bear.
You are good when you walk to your goal firmly and with bold steps.
Never be frightened at your own faint-heartedness in attaining love.
The characteristic of heroism is its persistency.
A gladiator deems it a disgrace to be matched with an inferior, and knows that to win without danger is to win without glory.
Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.
Self-trust is the essence of heroism.
Man, if you are anything, both walk alone and talk to yourself, and do not hide yourself in the chorus.
True courage and gentleness go hand in hand.
The great prizes of life are for the courageous, the dauntless, the self-confident.
How does one kill fear, I wonder?
How could youths better learn to live than by at once trying the experiment of living?
Popular sayings
Widely repeated lines with no name attached, because nobody can honestly put one on them.
The shot you don't take can't go in.
Inhale confidence, exhale doubt.
Nothing to lose, everything to gain.
Bite the bullet.
Growth begins at the end of your comfort zone.
Love conquers all.
Fear is temporary, regret is forever.
Being brave doesn't mean you aren't scared.
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