Famous quotes
Quotes by famous people, credited to who said them. Your own quotes must not match any of these. More are added all the time. 1,158,808 quotes Who coined it · How we decide
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“It was, however, a losing battle: Adelaide died on 20 May 2000, in Rome. Not even her experience tells us fully whether a woman's destiny can really be reconciled with politics as male culture has constructed it, or whether, in order to experience it as a leading figure, it is not necessary to make too costly cuts, to play roles in which there remains, somewhere, an unacknowledged unease.”
Eugenia Roccella (born 1953) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“One Battle After Another feels significant because we're in an era where new stories aren't being told. Especially stories that are considered risky. It feels significant to tell a story that's holding up a mirror to modern-day society but have it be funny.”
Chase Infiniti (born 2000) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Freud's antique notion of women as diminished men is quite wrong. Biology instead reveals every man's battle to escape the woman within.”
Steve Jones (biologist) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There is no doubt that our struggle in France possesses great international significance. The future of the people of France and of the peoples of Europe, for many years to come, depends upon the issue of this battle and upon the outcome of our anti-fascist movement.”
Maurice Thorez (1900–1964) said by 1964 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The hardest part was the constant battle against a torrent of misinformation, often from within the political arena itself.”
Reuben Abati (born 1965) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Closely related to the questions of secular contraction and the are those vexed question of earthquakes, , the liquidity or solidity of the , and the of the earth's mass as a whole—all questions of the greatest interest, but still lingering on the battle-fields of scientific opinion.”
Robert Simpson Woodward (1849–1924) first seen 1889 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: (quote from p. 65; 1889 offprint; also published in Science, 6 September 1889, vol. 344, pp. 167–172)
“We need to fight for each other in this country. A lot of South African Jews don’t see the battle for equality as their fight. But someone fought for my mother to get out of Europe. If we don’t fight for others, who will be left to fight for us? We need to work for a better South Africa – both for my son and my domestic worker’s son.”
Madeleine Hicklin (born 1957) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There, where I was on foot with my knights, the king came, wounded, with all his battle, and with great sound and noise of trumpets and nakirs, and halted on a raised way; but never was so goodly a man at arms seen, for he topped all his people from the shoulders upward, and had a golden helm on his head, and a German sword in his hand.”
John of Joinville (1224–1318) said by 1318 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: p. 65 (Michelet 1882, p. 301)
“We only signed the two boys, Amani Boss and AOD; we have released their singles and videos globally. Amani Boss is in a private school in Lagos, AOD is still fighting his battle with JAMB as any other youth in Nigeria, so we are making progress, slow and steady.”
Pascal Atuma (born 1972) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It took the nation lots of battle to gain its sovereignty and as such leaders must be willing to “play an active part in maintaining the peace of the world and in preserving civilisation.”
Tafawa Balewa (1912–1966) said by 1966 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The battle has been fought and won and now the real job of governance has started.”
Udom Gabriel Emmanuel (born 1966) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In less than three hours of battle, York had achieved more than he had managed in five years of politics.”
Lauren Johnson (author) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“O valiant Hearts, who to your glory came Through dust of conflict and through battle-flame; Tranquil you lie, your knightly virtue proved, Your memory hallowed in the Land you loved.”
John Arkwright (1872–1954) said by 1954 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“These berserks live in a closed world of conflict and brotherhood. It will be long before Knud Ulfson’s ears will be open to the voices of men, for he is in the battle-trance yet, and I doubt whether he could see his hand before his face. That is the way of berserks.”
Henry Treece (1911–1966) said by 1966 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“They fight for every ball. They are not overly physical, but they battle for the smallest things”
Olwethu Makhanya (born 2004) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I assessed the opponents, showed the players what I thought, and we analysed everything that needed to be analysed and went on to do the battle.”
Lehlohonolo Seema (born 1980) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Usuthu then arranged for him to join University of Pretoria but he declined because they were in a fierce relegation battle”
Sifiso Hlanti (born 1990) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It was also my first game against Saracens, which I had been looking forward to for a while. It was great to come out of that kind of battle with a win”
Eben Etzebeth (born 1991) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“After a game, I often see front rows sitting together at post-match functions having a beer and locked in deep conversations about the scrum battle.”
Jake White (born 1963) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“So this weekend – with some new combinations – I’m sure we’ll be ready for the battle.”
Johan Grobbelaar (born 1997) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“On paper, we’re maybe the favourites, but knowing the Welsh after playing them in the URC, they’re a proud nation that won’t go away and it’ll be a full-on battle for 80 minutes.”
Johan Grobbelaar (born 1997) first seen 2025 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Grobbies: Boks ‘100% in’ for one last push, November 2025, SA RUGBY MAG by the Reporter
“That’s the kind of mental battle you have with yourself. That’s the challenge.’”
Jesse Kriel (born 1994) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Just getting over the line was a massive mental battle.”
Fourie du Preez (born 1982) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“it’s always special, especially playing the enforcer role and embracing the physical battle side of the game,”
Patrick Botha (born 1990) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Of Every One-Hundred Men, Ten shouldn't even be there, Eighty are nothing but targets, Nine are real fighters... We are lucky to have them... They make the battle. Ah but the One, One of them is a Warrior... and He will bring the others back.”
Heraclitus (misattributed) first seen 500 BC wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Attributed to "Hericletus c. 500 B.C." [sic] in The Tactical Rifle (1999) by Gabriel Suarez; no earlier source has been found.
“Don't fight a battle if you don't gain anything by winning.”
George S. Patton (disputed) first seen 1937 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: This is cited to Patton in Patton's Principles : A Handbook for Managers Who Mean It! (1982) by Porter B. Williamson as well as Leadership (1990) by William Safire and Leonard Safir, p. 47, but is also cited to Erwin Ro…
Also quoted by: Erwin Rommel (disputed)
“You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.”
Margaret Thatcher (disputed) first seen 1989 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: This quote is widely attributed to Margaret Thatcher on various websites, and also appears in a number of books, including The Concise Columbia Dictionary of Quotations, Columbia University Press (1989), ed. Robert Andr…
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
Plato (misattributed) first seen 1897 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Attributed to Plato in No Ordinary Moments: A Peaceful Warrior's Guide to Daily Life (1992) by Dan Millman. It has also been wrongly attributed to Philo. It is a variant of the Christmas message "Be pitiful, for every m…
“The Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton.”
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (misattributed) first seen 1856 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in The New York Times (26 December 1886), and in Words on Wellington (1889) by Sir William Fraser, this is almost certainly apocryphal. The first attributions of such a remark to Wellington were in De l'Avenir…
“All brave men love; for he only is brave who has affections to fight for, whether in the daily battle of life, or in physical contests.”
Nathaniel Hawthorne (misattributed) first seen 1853 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: William Cowper Prime in The Old House by the River (1853); first misattributed to Hawthorne in Notable Thoughts about Women: A Literary Mosaic (1882) by Maturin Murray Ballou, p. 239
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.”
Philo (misattributed) first seen 1897 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Attributed to Philo in How Do We Know When It's God?: A Spiritual Memoir (1999) by Dan Wakefield. It has also been wrongly attributed to Plato and Ephrem the Syrian. It is a variant of the Christmas message "Be pitiful,…
“A politician weakly and amiably in the right is no match for a politician tenaciously and pugnaciously in the wrong. You cannot, by tying an opinion, to a man’s tongue, make him the representative of that opinion; and at the close of any battle for principles, his name will be found neither among the dead nor among the wounded, but among the missing.”
Edwin Percy Whipple (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“From the hour of the invention of printing, books, and not kings, were to rule the world. Weapons forged in the mind, keen-edged, and brighter than a sunbeam, were to supplant the sword and battle-axe.”
Edwin Percy Whipple (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“O! immodest mortal! Your destiny is the joy of watching the evershifting battle!”
Ludwig Boltzmann (attributed) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: S. Rajasekar, N.Athavan, "Ludwig Edward Boltzmann" (7 September 2006), arXiv:physics/0609047v1 [physics.hist-ph]
“Happy species endowed with infinite appreciation of pleasures and low sensitivity to pain would probably not survive the evolutionary battle.”
Amos Tversky (attributed) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Except few from Assam, not many have heard about Mula Gabharu! She was one of the few warriors who fought bravely in battlefield against Muslim invaders. She killed two Mohammedan Lieutenants in battle until she was treacherously killed by the enemy in the same battlefield. Like many other unsung warriors of India, she finds no place in Indian History text books.”
Mula Gabharu (1486–1532) said by 1532 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Rawal M. S. & Rawal Y. S. (2019). Saffron swords. Garuda Prakashan.
“To consummate the wanton slaughter of some 700 Pequots, in 1637 the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, William Bradford, proclaimed that Thanksgiving Day be celebrated "in honor of the bloody victory, thanking God that the battle had been won." Peace on stolen land is borne of genocide.”
William Bradford (Plymouth Colony governor) first seen 2019 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Nick Estes Our History Is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance (2019)
“When a man has fulfilled all four of these requisites - to be wide awake, to have fear, respect, and absolute assurance - there are no mistakes for which he will have to account; under such conditions his actions lose the blundering quality of the acts of a fool. If such a man fails, or suffers a defeat, he will have lost only a battle, and there will be no pitiful regrets over that.”
Carlos Castaneda (1925–1998) said by 1998 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“_1 W._ When shall we three meet again In thunder, lightning, or in rain? _2 W._ When the hurlyburly 's done, When the battle 's lost and won.”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) said by 1616 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“That never set a squadron in the field, Nor the division of a battle knows.”
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) said by 1616 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Heard so oft In worst extremes, and on the perilous edge Of battle.”
John Milton (1608–1674) said by 1674 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“In the battle off Cape St. Vincent, Nelson gave orders for boarding the "San Josef," exclaiming "Westminster Abbey, or victory!”
Horatio Nelson (1758–1805) said by 1805 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled, Scots, wham Bruce has aften led, Welcome to your gory bed, Or to victory! Now 's the day and now 's the hour; See the front o' battle lour.”
Robert Burns (1759–1796) said by 1796 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“It is very true that I have said that I considered Napoleon's presence in the field equal to forty thousand men in the balance. This is a very loose way of talking; but the idea is a very different one from that of his presence at a battle being equal to a reinforcement of forty thousand men.”
Duke Of Wellington (1769–1852) said by 1852 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“When the stormy winds do blow; When the battle rages loud and long, And the stormy winds do blow.”
Thomas Campbell (1777–1844) said by 1844 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Battle's magnificently stern array.”
Lord Byron (1788–1824) said by 1824 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“But to the hero, when his sword Has won the battle for the free, Thy voice sounds like a prophet's word; And in its hollow tones are heard The thanks of millions yet to be.”
Fitz-greene Halleck (1790–1867) said by 1867 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“For still the new transcends the old In signs and tokens manifold; Slaves rise up men; the olive waves, With roots deep set in battle graves!”
John G. Whittier (active around 1807) bartlett, Public domain source
“Cowards do not count in battle; they are there, but not in it.”
Euripides (481–407 BC) said by 407 BC at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“I had a regular battle with the dunghill-cock.”
Plautus (250–184 BC) said by 184 BC at the latest bartlett, Public domain source