The Cyclopedia of Practical Quotations

Every quotation a nineteenth-century speaker or writer might want, grouped under its subject, with the author, the date and the source given as exactly as Hoyt could manage.

HomeC › Courage

Courage: Quotations from Cyclopedia of Practical Quotations

The soul, secured in her existence, smiles At the drawn dagger, and defies its point.— ADDISON — Cato. Act V. Sc. 1.
The schoolboy, with his satchel in his hand, Whistling aloud to bear his courage up.— BLAIR — The Grave. Pt. I. L. 58.
A man of courage is also full of faith.— CICERO — The Tusculan Disputations. Bk. III. Ch. VIII. Yonge's trans.
None of the prophets old, So lofty or so bold! No form of danger shakes his dauntless breast; In loneliness sublime He dares confront the time, And speak the truth, and give the world no rest: No kingly threat can cowardize his breath, He with majestic step goes forth to meet his death.— ABRAHAM COLES — John the Baptist.
"The Light of the World." Pp. 107-108. For be sure our hearts would lose Future years of woe, If our courage could refuse The present hour with "No."— ELIZA COOK — Journal. "No." Vol. II. St. 2.
The charm of the best courages is that they are inventions, inspirations, flashes of genius.— EMERSON — Society and Solitude.
Courage. Courage, the highest gift, that scorns to bend To mean devices for a sordid end. Courage an independent spark from Heaven's bright throne, By which the soul stands raised, triumphant, high, alone. Great in itself, not praises of the crowd, Above all vice, it stoops not to be proud. Courage, the mighty attribute of powers above, By which those great in war, are great in love. The spring of all brave acts is seated here, As falsehoods draw their sordid birth from fear. S.— FARQUHAR — Love and a Bottle. Part
of dedication to the Lord Marquis of Carmarthen. Courage is, on all hands, considered as an essential of high character.— FROUDE — Representative Men.
Few persons have courage enough to appear as good as they really are. J. C. and A. W. HARE-Guesses at Truth. Tender handed stroke a nettle, And it stings you for your pains; Grasp it like a man of mettle, And it soft as silk remains.— AARON HILL — Verses Written on a
Window. O friends, be men, and let your hearts be strong, And let no warrior in the heat of fight Do what may bring him shame in others' eyes; For more of those who shrink from shame are safe Than fall in battle, while with those who flee Is neither glory nor reprieve from death.— HOMER — Iliad. Bk. V. L. 663.
Bryant's trans. "Be bold!" first gate; "Be bold, be bold, and evermore be bold," second gate; "Be not too bold!" third gate. Inscription on the Gates of Busyrane. C. Write on your doors the saying wise and old, "Be bold! be bold!" and everywhere-" Be bold; Be not too bold!" Yet better the excess Than the defect; better the more than less; Better like Hector in the field to die, Than like a perfumed Paris turn and fly.— LONGFELLOW — Morituri Salutamus. L. 100.
What! shall one monk, scarce known beyond his cell, Front Rome's far-reaching bolts, and scorn her frown? Brave Luther answered, "Yes"; that thunder's swell Rocked Europe, and discharmed the triple crown.— LOWELL- — To W. L. Garrison. St. 5.
I argue not Against Heaven's hand or will, nor bate a jot Of heart or hope; but still bear up and steer Right onward.— MILTON — Sonnet. To Cyriack Skinner.
Stand fast *** And all temptation to transgress repel.— MILTON — Paradise Lost. Bk. VIII. L. 640.
Cowards may fear to die; but courage stout, Rather than live in snuff, will be put out.— SIR WALTER RALEIGH — The night before
he died. Bayley's Life of Raleigh. P. 157. Come one, come all! this rock shall fly From its firm base, as soon as I.— SCOTT — Lady of the Lake. Canto V. St. 10.
And fearless minds climb soonest unto crowns.— Shakespeare — Henry VI. Pt. III. Act IV. Sc. 7. L. 63.
By how much unexpected, by so much We must awake endeavour for defence; For courage mounteth with occasion:— Shakespeare — King John. Act II. Sc. 1. L. 80.
Come, let us take a muster speedily : Doomsday is near; die all, die merrily.— Shakespeare — Henry IV. Pt. I. Act IV. Sc. 1. L. 133.
He hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age, doing, in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion.— Shakespeare — Much Ado About Nothing. Act I. Sc. 1. L. 13.
I dare do all that may become a man: Who dares do more, is none.— Shakespeare — Macbeth. Act I. Sc. 7. L. 47.
Muster your wits: stand in your own defence; Or hide your heads like cowards, and fly hence.— Shakespeare — Love's Labour's Lost. Act V. Sc. 2. L. 85.
O, the blood more stirs To rouse a lion than to start a hare!— Shakespeare — Henry IV. Pt. I. Act I. Sc. 3. L. 198.
The smallest worm will turn being trodden on, And doves will peck in safeguard of their brood.— Shakespeare — Henry VI. Pt. III. Act II. Sc. 2. L. 17.
The thing of courage As rous'd with rage with rage doth sympathise, And, with an accent tun'd in self-same key, Retorts to chiding fortune.— Shakespeare — Troilus and Cressida. Act I. Sc. 3. L. 51.
Think you a little din can daunt mine ears? Have I not in my time heard lions roar? * * * * * * Have I not heard great ordnance in the field, And heaven's artillery thunder in the skies? * * * * * * And do you tell me of a woman's tongue, That gives not half so great a blow to hear As will a chestnut in a farmer's fire?— Shakespeare — S. Taming of the Shrew. Act I. Sc. 2. L. 200.
We fail! But screw your courage to the sticking-place, And we'll not fail.— Shakespeare — Macbeth. Act I. Sc. 7. L. 59.
Why, courage then! what cannot be avoided 'Twere childish weakness to lament or fear. น.— Shakespeare — Henry VI. Pt. III. Act V. Sc. 4. L. 37.
You must not think That we are made of stuff so fat and dull That we can let our beard be shook with danger And think it pastime.— Shakespeare — Hamlet. Act IV. Sc. 7. L. 29.
Hold the Fort! I am coming.— GEN. W. T. SHERMAN — Signalled to Gen.
Corse. Oct. 5, 1864. Who stemm'd the torrent of a downward age.— THOMSON — The Seasons. Summer. L. 1,516.
Animus tamen omnia vincit. Ille etiam vires corpus habere facit. Courage conquers all things: it even gives strength to the body.— OVID — Epistolæ Ex Ponto. II. 7. 75.
Audentem forsque Venusque juvant. Fortune and Love befriend the bold.— OVID — Ars Amatoria. I. 608.
Saucius ejurat pugnam gladiator, et idem Immemor antiqui vulneris arma capit. The wounded gladiator forswears all fighting, but soon forgetting his former wound resumes his arms.— OVID — Epistolæ Ex Ponto. I. 5. 37.
Teloque animus præstantior omni. A spirit superior to every weapon.— OVID — Metamorphoses. III. 54.
C'est dans les grands dangers qu'on voit les grands courages. It is in great dangers that we see great courage.— REGNARD — Le Légataire.
On ne peut répondre de son courage quand on n'a jamais été dans le péril. We can never be certain of our courage until we have faced danger.— LA ROCHEFOUCAULD — Premier
Supplément. 42. Ei di virilità grave e maturo, Mostra in fresco vigor chiome canute. Grave was the man in years, in looks, in word, His locks were gray, yet was his courage green.— TASSO — Gerusalemme. I. 53.
← Country, Love OfCourtesy →