Home › F › Fear
Fear: Quotations from Cyclopedia of Practical Quotations
No one loves the man whom he fears.— ARISTOTLE
The brave man is not he who feels no fear, For that were stupid and irrational; But he, whose noble soul its fear subdues, And bravely dares the danger nature shrinks from.— JOANNA BAILLIE — Basil. Act III. Sc. 1. L. 151.
The fear o' hell's the hangman's whip To haud the wretch in order; But where ye feel your honor grip, Let that aye be your border.— BURNS — Epistle to a Young Friend.
Fear is an ague, that forsakes And haunts, by fits, those whom it takes; And they'll opine they feel the pain And blows they felt, to-day, again.— BUTLER — Hudibras. Pt. I. Canto III. L. 471.
His fear was greater than his haste: For fear, though fleeter than the wind, Believes 'tis always left behind.— BUTLER — Hudibras. Pt. III. Canto III. L. 64.
Like one, that on a lonesome road Doth walk in fear and dread, And having once turned round, walks on, And turns no more his head; Because he knows a frightful fiend Doth close behind him tread.— COLERIDGE — The Ancient Mariner. Pt. VI.
His frown was full of terror, and his voice Shook the delinquent with such fits of awe As left him not, till penitence had won Lost favor back again, and clos'd the breach.— S. COWPER — The Task. Bk. II. L. 659.
The clouds dispell'd, the sky resum'd her light, And Nature stood recover'd of her fright. But fear, the last of ills, remain'd behind, And horror heavy sat on every mind.— DRYDEN — Theodore and Honoria. L. 336.
Whistling to keep myself from being afraid.— DRYDEN — Amphitryon. Act III. Sc. 1.
We are not apt to fear for the fearless, when we are companions in their danger.— GEORGE ELIOT — The Mill on the Floss. Bk. VII. Ch. V.
Fear always springs from ignorance.— EMERSON — The American Scholar.
Fear is cruel and mean.— EMERSON — Society and Solitude.
Courage. Fear is the parent of cruelty.— FROUDE — Short Studies on Great
Subjects. Party Politics. You are uneasy, *** you never sailed with me before, I see.— ANDREW JACKSON — Parton's Life of Jackson. Vol. III. P. 493.
Oh, fear not in a world like this, And thou shalt know ere long, - Know how sublime a thing it is To suffer and be strong.— LONGFELLOW — The Light of Stars. St. 9.
They are slaves who fear to speak For the fallen and the weak.— LOWELL — Stanzas on Freedom. Last
Stanza. The direst foe of courage is the fear itself, not the object of it; and the man who can overcome his own terror is a hero and more.— GEORGE MACDONALD — Sir Gibbie. Ch. XX.
The thing in the world I am most afraid of is fear, and with good reason; that passion alone, in the trouble of it, exceeding all other accidents.— MONTAIGNE — Essays. Fear.
Imagination frames events unknown, In wild, fantastic shapes of hideous ruin, And what it fears creates.— HANNAH MORE — Belshazzar. Pt. II.
Then flash'd the living lightning from her eyes, And screams of horror rend th' affrighted skies, Not louder shrieks to pitying Heaven are cast, When husbands, or when lap dogs, breathe their last; Or when rich China vessels fallen, from high, In glittering dust and painted fragments lie.— POPE — Rape of the Lock. Canto III. L. 155.
A lamb appears a lion, and we fear Each bush we see's a bear.— QUARLES — Emblems. Bk. I. Emblem XIII. L. 19.
Fain would I climb, yet fear I to fall.— SIR WALTER RALEIGH — Written in a
Window. A man should always allow his fears to rise to their highest possible pitch, and then some consolation or other will suddenly fall, like a warm rain-drop, upon his heart.— RICHTER — Flower, Fruit and Thorn Pieces. Bk. II. Ch. VI.
And being thus frighted swears a prayer or two, And sleeps again.— Shakespeare — Romeo and Juliet. Act I. Sc. 4. L. 87.
And make my seated heart knock at my bs.— Shakespeare — Macbeth. Act I. Sc. 3. L. 136.
Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep In the affliction of these terrible dreams That shake us nightly.— Shakespeare — Macbeth. Act III. Sc. 2. L. 17.
For I am sick and capable of fears, Opress'd with wrongs, and therefore full of fears, A widow, husbandless, subject to fears, A woman, naturally born to fears.— Shakespeare — King John. Act III. Sc. 1. L. 12.
His flight was madness: when our actions do not, Our fears do make us traitors.— Shakespeare — Macbeth. Act IV. Sc. 2. L. 3.
I could a tale unfold whose lightest word Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood, Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres, Thy knotted and combined locks to part And each particular hair to stand on end, Like quills upon the fretful porpentine.— Shakespeare — Hamlet. Act I. Sc. 5. L. 15.
If ever fearful To do a thing, where I the issue doubted, Whereof the execution did cry out Against the non-performance, 'twas a fear Which oft infects the wisest.— Shakespeare — Winter's Tale. Act I. Sc. 2. L. 258.
I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins, That almost freezes up the heat of life.— Shakespeare — S. Romeo and Juliet. Act IV. Sc. 3. L. 15.
I thought upon one pair of English legs Did march three Frenchmen.— Shakespeare — Henry V. Act III. Sc. 6. L. 158.
It is a basilisk unto mine eye, Kills me to look on't. и.— Shakespeare — Cymbeline. Act II. Sc. 4. L. 107.
It is the part of men to fear and tremble, When the most mighty gods by tokens send Such dreadful heralds to astonish us. Julius Cæsar. Act I. Sc. 3. L. 54. Or in the night, imagining some fear, How easy is a bush suppos'd a bear!— Shakespeare — Midsummer Night's Dream. Act V. Sc. 1. L. 21.
Present fears Are less than horrible imaginings.— Shakespeare — Macbeth. Act I. Sc. 3. L. 137.
There is not such a word Spoke of in Scotland as this term of fear. Y.— Shakespeare — Henry IV. Pt. I. Act IV. Sc. I. L. 84,
They spake not a word; Bút, like dumb statues or breathing stones, Gazed each on other, and look'd deadly pale.— Shakespeare — Richard III. Act III. Sc. 7. L. 24.
Things done well, And with a care, exempt themselves from fear; Things done without example, in their issue Are to be feared.— Shakespeare — Henry VIII. Act I. Sc. 2. L. 88.
Thou can'st not say I did it; never shake Thy gory locks at me.— Shakespeare — Macbeth. Act III. Sc. 4. L. 49.
Thou tremblest; and the whiteness in thy cheek Is apter than thy tongue to tell thy errand.— Shakespeare — Henry IV. Pt. II. Act I. Sc. 1. L. 68.
'Tis time to fear when tyrants seem to kiss.— Shakespeare — Pericles. Act I. Sc. 2. L. 79.
To fear the foe, since fear oppresseth strength, Gives in your weakness strength unto your foe.— Shakespeare — Richard II. Act III. Sc. 2. L. 180.
Truly the souls of men are full of dread : Ye cannot reason almost with a man That looks not heavily and full of fear.— Shakespeare — Richard III. Act II. Sc. 3. L. 39.
You can behold such sights, And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks, When mine is blanch'd with fear.— Shakespeare — Macbeth. Act III. Sc. 4. L. 114.
Fear Stared in her eyes, and chalk'd her face.— TENNYSON — The Princess. IV. L. 357.
Desponding Fear, of feeble fancies full, Weak and unmanly, loosens every power.— THOMSON — The Seasons. Spring. L. 286.
Full twenty times was Peter feared, For once that Peter was respected.— WORDSWORTH — Peter Bell. Pt. 1. St. 3.
Less base the fear of death than fear of life.— YOUNG — Night Thoughts. Night V. L. 441.
Nam improbus est homo qui beneficium scit sumere et reddere nescit. That man is worthless who knows how to receive a favor, but not how to return one.— PLAUTUS — Persa. V. 1. 10.
Nam quamlibet sæpe obligati, si quid unum neges, hoc solum meminerunt, quod negatum est. For however often a man may receive an obligation from you, if you refuse a request, all former favors are effaced by this one denial. PLINY the Younger-Epistolæ. III. 4. Beneficium accipere, libertatem est vendere. To accept a favor is to sell one's freedom.— SYRUS — Maxims.
Neutiquam officium liberi esse hominis puto Cum is nihil promereat, postulare id gratiæ apponi sibi. No free man will ask as favor, what he can not claim as reward.— TERENCE — Andria. II. 1. 32.
Crux est si metuas quod vincere nequeas. It is tormenting to fear what you cannot overcome.— AUSONIUS — Septem Sapientum Sententiæ
Septenis Versibus Explicatæ. VII. 4. In summo periculo timor misericordiam non recipit. In extreme danger fear feels no pity.— CÆSAR — Bellum Gallicum. VII. 26.
Timor non est diuturnus magister officii. Fear is not a lasting teacher of duty.— CICERO — Philippica. II. 36.
Quærit, et inventis miser abstinet, ac timet uti. The miser acquires, yet fears to use his gains. S.— HORACE — Ars Poetica. 170.
Quia me vestigia terrent Omnia te adversum spectantia, nulla retrorsum. I am frightened at seeing all the footprints directed towards thy den, and none returning.— HORACE — Epistolæ. I. 1. 74.
Major ignotarum rerum est terror. Apprehensions are greater in proportion as things are unknown. U.— LIVY — Annales. XXVIII. 44.
Monstrum horrendum, informe, ingens, cui lumen ademptum. An immense, misshapen, marvelous monster whose eye is out.— VIRGIL — Eneid. III. 658.
Multos in summa pericula misit Venturi timor ipse mali. The mere apprehension of a coming evil has put many into a situation of the utmost danger.— LUCAN — Pharsalia. VII. 104.
Et metus ille foras præceps Acheruntis agundus, Funditus humanam qui vitam turbat ab imo, Omnia suffuscans mortis nigrore, neque ullam Esse voluptatem liquidam puramque relinquit. The dreadful fear of hell is to be driven out, which disturbs the life of man and renders it miserable, overcasting all things with the blackness of darkness, and leaving no pure, unalloyed pleasure.— LUCRETIUS — De Rerum Natura.
III. 37. Membra reformidant mollem quoque saucia tactum: Vanaque sollicitis incutit umbra metum. The wounded limb shrinks from the slightest touch; and a slight shadow alarms the nervous.— OVID — Epistolæ Ex Ponto. II. 7. 13.
Quem metuit quisque, perisse cupit. Every one wishes that the man whom he fears would perish.— OVID — Amorum. II. 2. 10.
Terretur minimo pennæ stridore columba Unguibus, accipiter, saucia facta tuis. The dove, O hawk, that has once been wounded by thy talons, is frightened by the least movement of a wing.— OVID — Tristium. I. 1. 75.
Ad deteriora credenda proni metu. Fear makes men believe the worst.— QUINTUS CURTIUS RUFUS — De Rebus
Gestis Alexandri Magni. IV. 3. 22. Ubi explorari vera non possunt, falsa per metum augentur. When the truth cannot be clearly made out, what is false is increased through fear.— QUINTUS CURTIUS RUFUS — De Rebus
Gestis Alexandri Magni. IV. 10. 10. Ubi intravit animos pavor, id solum metuunt, quod primum formidare cœperunt. When fear has seized upon the mind, man fears that only which he first began to fear.— QUINTUS CURTIUS RUFUS — De Rebus
Gestis Alexandri Magni. IV. 16.
Quem neque gloria neque pericula excitant, nequidquam hortere: timor animi auribus officit. The man who is roused neither by glory nor by danger it is in vain to exhort; terror closes the ears of the mind.— SALLUST — Catilina. LVIII.
Necesse est multos timeat, quem multi timent. He must necessarily fear many, whom many fear.— SENECA — De Ira. II. 11.
Optanda mors est, sine metu mortis mori. To die without fear of death is to be desired.— SENECA — Troades. 869.
Si vultis nihil timere, cogitate omnia esse timenda. If you wish to fear nothing, consider that everything is to be feared. SENECA. Quæstionum Naturalium, VI. 2. Primus in orbe deos fecit timor. Fear in the world first created the gods.— STATIUS — Thebais. III. 661.
Tunc plurima versat Pessimus in dubiis augur timor. Then fear, the very worst prophet in misfortunes, anticipates many evils.— STATIUS — Thebais. III. 5.
Minor est quam servus dominus qui servos timet. The master who fears his slaves is inferior to his slaves.— SYRUS — Maxims.
Stultum est timere quod vitare non potes. It is foolish to fear what you cannot avoid.— SYRUS — Maxims.
Timidus se vocat cautum, parcum sordidus. The coward calls himself cautious, the miser thrifty.— SYRUS — Maxims.
Etiam fortes viros subitis terreri. Even the bravest men are frightened by sudden terrors. S.— TACITUS — Annales. XV. 59.
Degeneres animos timor arguit. Fear is the proof of a degenerate mind.— VIRGIL — Eneid. IV. 13.
Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes. I fear the Greeks, even when they bring gifts.— VIRGIL — Eneid. II. 49.
De loin, c'est quelque chose; et de près, ce n'est rien. From a distance it is something; and nearby it is nothing.— LA FONTAINE — Fables. IV. 10.
Il faut tout attendre et tout craindre du temps et des hommes. We must expect everything and fear everything from time and from men. e. CII. Ich weiss, dass man vor leeren Schrecken zittert; Doch wahres Unglück bringt der falsche Wahn. I know that oft we tremble at an empty terror, but the false phantasm brings a real misery.— SCHILLER — Piccolomini. V. 1. 105.
Wenn ich einmal zu fürchten angefangen Hab' ich zu fürchten aufgehört. As soon as I have begun to fear I have ceased to fear.— SCHILLER — Don Carlos. I. 6. 68.
Wer nichts fürchtet ist nicht weniger mächtig, als der, den Alles fürchtet. The man who fears nothing is not less powerful than he who is feared by every one.— SCHILLER — Die Räuber. I. 1.
Wir Deutschen fürchten Gott, sonst aber Nichts in der Welt. We Germans fear God, but nothing else in the world.— PRINCE BISMARCK — In the Reichstag.
1887. Bello in si bella vistà anco è l'orrore, E di mezzo la tema esce il diletto. Horror itself in that fair scene looks gay, And joy springs up e'en in the midst of fear.— TASSO — Gerusalemme. XX. 30.