“The brave and bold persist even against fortune; the timid and cowardly rush to despair through fear alone. [Lat., Fortes et strenuos etiam contra fortunam insistere, timidos et ignoros ad desperationem formidine properare.]”

Following Emporer Nero’s command, “Let the Christians be exterminated!:” . . . they [the Christians] were made the subjects of sport; they were covered with the hides of wild beasts and worried to death by dogs, or nailed to crosses or set fire to, and when the day waned, burned to serve for the evening lights.

There can never be a complete confidence in a power which is excessive.

Flatterers are the worst kind of enemies. [Lat., Pessimum genus inimicorum laudantes.]

No one in Germany laughs at vice, nor do they call it the fashion to corrupt and to be corrupted.

Fear is not in the habit of speaking truth; when perfect sincerity is expected, perfect freedom must be allowed; nor has anyone who is apt to be angry when he hears the truth any cause to wonder that he does not hear it.

They terrify lest they should fear.

That cannot be safe which is not honourable.

The desire of glory is the last infirmity cast off even by the wise.

Bottling up his malice to be suppressed and brought out with increased violence.

We accomplish more by prudence than by force. [Lat., Plura consilio quam vi perficimus.]

A shocking crime was committed on the unscrupulous initiative of few individuals, with the blessing of more, and amid the passive acquiescence of all.

Deos fortioribus adesse. The gods support those who are stronger.

The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.

Laws were most numerous when the commonwealth was most corrupt

Corruptisima republica plurimae leges.

In stirring up tumult and strife, the worst men can do the most, but peace and quiet cannot be established without virtue.

There are many faces to war. There is the face of courage, of bravery, of fellowship.There is the face of fear. Above all, there is love of country.

I’ve seen extreme bravery from the least likely of people. Life is about the moments when it’s all gone wrong. That’s when we define ourselves.

Courage is the thing. All goes if courage goes.

Cruelty does not make a person dishonest, the same way bravery does not make a person kind.

If the impulse to daring and bravery is too fierce and violent, stay it with guidance and instruction.

Ultimately, that is the definition of bravery: not being afraid of yourself.

We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.

We cannot change the way the world is, but by opening ourselves to the world as it is, we may find that gentleness, decency and bravery are available – not only to us, but to all human beings.