cowardice
to see what is right and not to do it is want of courage.- confucius, analects (bk. ii, ch. xxiv)
grac'd with a sword, and worthier of a fan.
- william cowper, task (bk. i, l. 771)
that all men would be cowards if they dare,
some men we know have courage to declare.
- george crabbe, tale i--the dumb orators (l. 11)
when desp'rate ills demand a speedy cure,
distrust is cowardice, and prudence folly.
- samuel johnson, irene (act iv, sc. 1)
a team is where a boy can prove his courage on his own. a gang
is where a coward goes to hide.
- mickey mantle
he
that kills himself to avoid misery, fears it,
and, at the best, shows but a bastard valour.
this life's a fort committed to my trust,
which i must not yield up, till it be forced:
nor will i. he's not valiant that dares die,
but he that boldly bears calamity.
- philip massinger, maid of honour (act iv, sc. 3)
what a slave art thou to hack thy sword as thou hast done, and
then say it was in fight!
- william shakespeare, king henry the fourth, part i (prince henry at ii, iv)
for my part, i may speak it to my shame,
i have a truant been to chivalry;
and so i hear he doth account me too.
- william shakespeare, king henry the fourth, part i (prince henry at v, i)
so bees with smoke and doves with noisome stench
are from their hives and houses driven away.
they called us, for our fierceness, english dogs;
now, like to whelps, we crying run away.
- william shakespeare, king henry the sixth, part i (talbot at i, v)
foul fiend of france and hag of all despite,
encompassed with thy lustful paramours
becomes it thee to taunt his valiant age
and twit with cowardice a man half dead?
- william shakespeare, king henry the sixth, part i (talbot at iii, ii)
i hold it cowardice
to rest mistrustful where a noble heart
hath pawned an open hand in sign of love.
- william shakespeare, king henry the sixth, part iii
(warwick at iv, ii)
milk-livered man,
that bear'st a cheek for blows, a head for wrongs;
who hast not in thy brows an eye discerning
thine honor from thy suffering; [that not know'st
fools do those villains pity who are punished
ere they have done their mischief. where's thy
france spreads his banners in our noiseless land,
with plumed helm thy state begins to threat,
whilst thou, a moral fool, sits still and cries
'alack, why does he so?']
- william shakespeare, king lear (goneril at iv, ii)
thou cold-blooded slave,
hast thou not spoke like thunder on my side,
been sworn my soldier, bidding me depend
upon thy stars, thy fortune, and thy strength,
and dost thou now fall over to my foes?
thou wear a lion's hide! doff it for shame,
and hang a calfskin on those recreant limbs.
- william shakespeare, the life and death of king john (constance at iii, i)
i would give all my fame for a pot of ale and safety.
- william shakespeare, the life of king henry the fifth (boy at iii, ii)
by this good light, this is a very shallow monster! i afeard of
him? a very weak monster! the man i' th' moon? a most poor
credulous monster!--well drawn, monster, in good sooth!
- william shakespeare, the tempest (trinculo at ii, ii)
that which in mean men we entitle patience
is pale cold cowardice in noble beasts.
- william shakespeare, the tragedy of king richard the second
(duchess of gloucester at i, ii)
as an old soldier i admit the cowardice: it's as universal as
sea sickness, and matters just as little.
- george bernard shaw, man and superman
man gives every reason for his conduct save one, every excuse for
his crimes save one, every plea for his safety save one; and that
one is his cowardice.
- george bernard shaw, man and superman
the man that lays his hand on woman,
save in the way of kindness, is a wretch
whom 'twere gross flattery to name a coward.
- john tobin, the honeymoon (act ii, sc. 1)
adieu, canaux, canards, canaille.
- voltaire (francois marie arouet voltaire), summing up his impressions de voyage, on his return from the netherlands
