Enemy Quotes | Beyond Motive

top of page

Enemy Quotes

"Every man is his own chief enemy."

"Every man is his own chief enemy."

Anacharsis, Scythian Philosopher

92

"Learning carries within itself certain dangers because out of necessity one has to learn from one's enemies."

"Learning carries within itself certain dangers because out of necessity one has to learn from one's enemies."

Leon Trotsky, Russian Revolutionary

Enemy, Enemies, Learning, Necessity

92

"There is a rule of Sharia: If the enemy wants to suppress you, you are supposed to put up a strong resistance."

"There is a rule of Sharia: If the enemy wants to suppress you, you are supposed to put up a strong resistance."

Akhmad Kadyrov, Chechen Statesman

92

"I am not anyone's enemy."

"I am not anyone's enemy."

Sun Myung Moon, Korean Clergyman

89

"Georgia does not need Russia as an enemy."

"Georgia does not need Russia as an enemy."

Mikhail Saakashvili, Georgian Statesman

83

"It is not enough for me to win. My enemies must lose."

"It is not enough for me to win. My enemies must lose."

David Merrick, American Producer

70

"Always mystify, mislead and surprise the enemy if possible."

"Always mystify, mislead and surprise the enemy if possible."

Thomas J. Jackson, American Soldier

61

"He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious."

"He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious."

Sun Tzu, Chinese Philosopher

Enemy, Lies, Will

61

"The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on."

"The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on."

Joseph Heller, American Novelist

60

"Let my enemies devour each other."

"Let my enemies devour each other."

Salvador Dali, Spanish Artist

59

"Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories."

"Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories."

Sun Tzu, Chinese Philosopher

58

"I can't afford a whole new set of enemies."

"I can't afford a whole new set of enemies."

Cecil Beaton, English Photographer

54

"The enemy is within the gates; it is with our own luxury, our own folly, our own criminality that we have to contend."

"The enemy is within the gates; it is with our own luxury, our own folly, our own criminality that we have to contend."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman Statesman

Enemy, Folly, Luxury

53

"Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names."

"Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names."

John F. Kennedy, American President

Enemy, Enemies, Forget, Names

53

"Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."

"Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."

Sun Tzu, Chinese Philosopher

Enemy, Excellence, Fighting

51

"Racism is a refuge for the ignorant. It seeks to divide and to destroy. It is the enemy of freedom, and deserves to be met head-on and stamped out."

"Racism is a refuge for the ignorant. It seeks to divide and to destroy. It is the enemy of freedom, and deserves to be met head-on and stamped out."

Pierre Berton, Canadian Author

Enemy, Freedom, Racism

49

"You win battles by knowing the enemy's timing, and using a timing which the enemy does not expect."

"You win battles by knowing the enemy's timing, and using a timing which the enemy does not expect."

Miyamoto Musashi, Japanese Soldier

49

"I would not kill my enemies, but I will make them get down on their knees. I will, I can, I must."

"I would not kill my enemies, but I will make them get down on their knees. I will, I can, I must."

Maria Callas, American Musician

Enemy, Enemies, Will

49

"I have written on all sorts of subjects... yet I have no enemies; except indeed all the Whigs, all the Tories, and all the Christians."

"I have written on all sorts of subjects... yet I have no enemies; except indeed all the Whigs, all the Tories, and all the Christians."

David Hume, Scottish Philosopher

48

"The left-wing, which consists of armoured and motorized forces and has no enemy in front of it, will be stopped dead in its tracks upon direct order from the Fuhrer."

"The left-wing, which consists of armoured and motorized forces and has no enemy in front of it, will be stopped dead in its tracks upon direct order from the Fuhrer."

Franz Halder, German Soldier

Enemy, Order, Will

47

"The press is the enemy."

"The press is the enemy."

Richard M. Nixon, American President

46

"Enemies are so stimulating."

"Enemies are so stimulating."

Katharine Hepburn, American Actress

45

"When we turn to one another for counsel we reduce the number of our enemies."

"When we turn to one another for counsel we reduce the number of our enemies."

Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese Philosopher

Enemy, Enemies, Poet, Khalil Gibran

45

"For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill."

"For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill."

Sun Tzu, Chinese Philosopher

Enemy, Fighting, Skill

45

"It is impossible to get anything made or accomplished without stepping on some toes; enemies are inevitable when one is a doer."

"It is impossible to get anything made or accomplished without stepping on some toes; enemies are inevitable when one is a doer."

Norma Shearer, American Actress

45

"The enemy of idealism is zealotry."

"The enemy of idealism is zealotry."

Neil Kinnock, Spanish Politician

Enemy, Idealism

45

"It is not necessary to have enemies if you go out of your way to make friends hate you."

"It is not necessary to have enemies if you go out of your way to make friends hate you."

Frank Dane, American Humorist

Enemy, Enemies, Friends, Hate

44

"I can do nothing with the enemy save observe him."

"I can do nothing with the enemy save observe him."

John Buford, American Soldier

42

"Do not deceive or be faithless even with your enemy."

"Do not deceive or be faithless even with your enemy."

Abu Bakr, Saudi Arabian Statesman

Enemy, Saudiarabian

41

"I really didn't have any plans to record prior to doing My Own Best Enemy."

"I really didn't have any plans to record prior to doing My Own Best Enemy."

Richard Marx, American Musician

40

"Surely the best way to meet the enemy is head on in the field and not wait till they plunder our very homes."

"Surely the best way to meet the enemy is head on in the field and not wait till they plunder our very homes."

Oliver Goldsmith, Irish Poet

40

"No one is to be called an enemy, all are your benefactors, and no one does you harm. You have no enemy except yourselves."

"No one is to be called an enemy, all are your benefactors, and no one does you harm. You have no enemy except yourselves."

Francis of Assisi, Italian Saint

40

"Here, I am looking for a document issued by a public attorney. I don't find. He is accused by the political leaders of the coalition, by his enemies, who said that he is guilty. That he deserves to be killed."

"Here, I am looking for a document issued by a public attorney. I don't find. He is accused by the political leaders of the coalition, by his enemies, who said that he is guilty. That he deserves to be killed."

Jacques Verges, French Lawyer

Enemy, Enemies, Leaders, Political leaders, Public

39

"Privilege is the greatest enemy of right."

"Privilege is the greatest enemy of right."

Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, Austrian Novelist

Enemy, Privilege, Right

38

"The Irish do not want anyone to wish them well; they want everyone to wish their enemies ill."

"The Irish do not want anyone to wish them well; they want everyone to wish their enemies ill."

Harold Nicolson, British Diplomat

Enemy, Enemies, Irish, Want

38

"If we fight our enemy using the same inhumane and morally bankrupt techniques that we are trying to stop, we will simply become what we have beheld."

"If we fight our enemy using the same inhumane and morally bankrupt techniques that we are trying to stop, we will simply become what we have beheld."

Ed Markey, American Politician

Enemy, Fight, Trying, Will

37

"I don't believe man is a woman's natural enemy. Perhaps his lawyer is."

"I don't believe man is a woman's natural enemy. Perhaps his lawyer is."

Shana Alexander, American Journalist

Enemy, Man, Woman

37

"It is lamentable, that to be a good patriot one must become the enemy of the rest of mankind."

"It is lamentable, that to be a good patriot one must become the enemy of the rest of mankind."

Voltaire, French Writer

Enemy, Mankind, Rest

37

"You may depend upon it that he is a good man whose intimate friends are all good, and whose enemies are decidedly bad."

"You may depend upon it that he is a good man whose intimate friends are all good, and whose enemies are decidedly bad."

Johann Kaspar Lavater, German Theologian

Enemy, Enemies, Friends, Man, May

36

"Man has no greater enemy than himself."

"Man has no greater enemy than himself."

Petrarch, Italian Poet

36

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment."

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment."

Mario Puzo, American Novelist

Enemy, Enemies, Hate, Judgment

36

"Jealousy is no more than feeling alone against smiling enemies."

"Jealousy is no more than feeling alone against smiling enemies."

Elizabeth Bowen, Irish Novelist

Enemy, Enemies, Feeling, Jealousy

36

"The greatest enemy of individual freedom is the individual himself."

"The greatest enemy of individual freedom is the individual himself."

Saul Alinsky, American Activist

36

"The Jews are the enemy of National Socialism."

"The Jews are the enemy of National Socialism."

Arthur Seyss Inquart, Austrian Soldier

Enemy, Socialism

35

"What is our greatest enemy? Segregation."

"What is our greatest enemy? Segregation."

Major Owens, American Politician

35

"No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution."

"No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution."

Niccolo Machiavelli, Italian Writer

Enemy, Execution, Succeed

35

"You cannot tell the enemy you're going to leave and expect the enemy to not - and expect to succeed. I mean, that's just a fundamental of warfare."

"You cannot tell the enemy you're going to leave and expect the enemy to not - and expect to succeed. I mean, that's just a fundamental of warfare."

John McCain, American Politician

35

"The best is the enemy of the good."

"The best is the enemy of the good."

Voltaire, French Writer

35

"It is always disarming to treat with the enemy, so to speak."

"It is always disarming to treat with the enemy, so to speak."

Morley Safer, Canadian Journalist

34

"Conservatives believe in providing Constitutional rights to our citizens, not to enemy combatants like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed."

"Conservatives believe in providing Constitutional rights to our citizens, not to enemy combatants like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed."

Mitt Romney, American Politician

34

bottom of page