A high heart ought to bear calamities and not flee them, since in bearing them appears the grandeur of the mind and in fleeing them the cowardice of the heart.

I am, indeed, a king, because I know how to rule myself.

If you want to annoy your neighbors, tell the truth about them.

I keep my friends as misers do their treasure, because, of all the things granted us by wisdom, none is greater or better than friendship.

I love you, and because I love you, I would sooner have you hate me for telling you the truth than adore me for telling you lies.

A high heart ought to bear calamities and not flee them, since in bearing them appears the grandeur of the mind and in fleeing them the cowardice of the heart.

Flattery and deceit are the darlings of great men, and so with these men spread the butter on thick, if you want to get something out of them, otherwise you'll come home to me with a full belly and an empty purse.

I am a free man. I do not need to copy Petrarca or Boccaccio. My own genius is enough. Let others worry themselves about style, and so cease to be themselves. Without a master, without a model, without a guide, I go to work and earn my living, my well-being and my fame.

Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius.

Perugia is my true fatherland because there I grew to manhood.

What evil is there in seeing a man possess a woman? Why, the beasts would be more free than we!

Why should the eyes be denied what delights them most?

With a goose-quill and a few sheets of paper, I mock myself of the universe. They say I am the son of a courtesan; it may be so, but I have the heart of a King. I live free, I enjoy myself, I can call myself happy.

I am indeed a king because I know how to rule myself.

I keep my friends as misers do their treasure because of all the things granted us by wisdom none is greater or better than friendship.

Life is a toy made of glass; it appears to be of inestimable price, but in reality it is very cheap.

Courage enlarges, cowardice diminishes resources. In desperate straits the fears of the timid aggravate the dangers that imperil the brave.

If pessimism is despair, optimism is cowardice and stupidity. Is there any need to choose between them?

Patience has its limits, take it too far and it's cowardice.

Fear has its use but cowardice has none.

They tell us that suicide is the greatest piece of cowardice... that suicide is wrong; when it is quite obvious that there is nothing in the world to which every man has a more unassailable title than to his own life and person.

Humor is the most engaging cowardice.

There is a level of cowardice lower than that of the conformist: the fashionable non-conformist.

I hate those men who would send into war youth to fight and die for them; the pride and cowardice of those old men, making their wars that boys must die.

Courage is often lack of insight, whereas cowardice in many cases is based on good information.

Humanitarianism is the expression of stupidity and cowardice.

When you disarm the people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred.

Ah, yes, superstition: it would appear to be cowardice in face of the supernatural.

God did not give you the spirit of cowardice.

To run away from trouble is a form of cowardice and, while it is true that the suicide braves death, he does it not for some noble object but to escape some ill.

When cowardice is made respectable, its followers are without number both from among the weak and the strong; it easily becomes a fashion.

The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity.

Suicide sometimes proceeds from cowardice, but not always; for cowardice sometimes prevents it; since as many live because they are afraid to die, as die because they are afraid to live.

To see the right and not to do it is cowardice.

We ought instead of retreating should follow up the enemy and take Richmond. And in full view of all responsible for such declaration, I say to you all, such an order can only be prompted by cowardice or treason.

Falsehood is cowardice, the truth courage.

To be one's self, and unafraid whether right or wrong, is more admirable than the easy cowardice of surrender to conformity.

True valor lies between cowardice and rashness.

At the bottom of not a little of the bravery that appears in the world, there lurks a miserable cowardice. Men will face powder and steel because they have not the courage to face public opinion.

Moral cowardice that keeps us from speaking our minds is as dangerous to this country as irresponsible talk.

There are several good protections against temptation, but the surest is cowardice.

Patience has its limits. Take it too far, and it's cowardice.

Christians take Scriptures out of context to try to justify or to vindicate retreat and cowardice.

There is a point at which the law becomes immoral and unethical. That point is reached when it becomes a cloak for the cowardice that dares not stand up against blatant violations of justice.

Humility is not cowardice. Meekness is not weakness. Humility and meekness are indeed spiritual powers.

The opposite for courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.

Valor lies just halfway between rashness and cowardice.

The opposite of bravery is not cowardice but conformity.

Cowardice and courage are never without a measure of affectation. Nor is love. Feelings are never true. They play with their mirrors.