Ambrose Bierce Quotes About Enemies

• Be as decent as you can. Don't believe without evidence. Treat things divine with marked respect — don't have anything to do with them. Do not trust humanity without collateral security; it will play you some scurvy trick. Remember that it hurts no one to be treated as an enemy entitled to respect until he shall prove himself a friend worthy of affection. Cultivate a taste for distasteful truths. And, finally, most important of all, endeavor to see things as they are, not as they ought to be.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Hurt, Believe, Play

  Ambrose Bierce, S. T. Joshi (2000). “The Collected Fables of Ambrose Bierce”, p.15, Ohio State University Press

• Ambition. An overmastering desire to be vilified by enemies while living and made ridiculous by friends when dead.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Life, Ambition, Reality

  Cynic's Word Book (1906) p. 17

• SATIRE, n. An obsolete kind of literary composition in which the vices and follies of the author's enemies were expounded with imperfect tenderness.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Kindness, Imperfection, Enemy

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.197, 谷月社

• Contempt; the feeling of a prudent man for an enemy who is too formidable safely to be opposed.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Men, Feelings, Enemy

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2374, Delphi Classics

• DUEL, n. A formal ceremony preliminary to reconciliation of two enemies. Great skill is necessary to its satisfactory observance; if awkwardly performed . . . deplorable consequences sometimes ensue. A long time ago a man lost his life.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Life, Time, Men

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.60, University of Georgia Press

• General," said the commander of the delinquent brigade, "I am persuaded that any further display of valor by my troops will bring them into collision with the enemy.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Funny, Military, Enemy

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.229, 谷月社

• OVATION, n. n ancient Rome, a definite, formal pageant in honor of one who had been disserviceable to the enemies of the nation. A lesser "triumph."

  Ambrose Bierce

  Rome, Honor, Enemy

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “The Best Of Ambrose Bierce: The Damned Thing + An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge + The Devil's Dictionary + Chickamauga (4 Classics in 1 Book)”, p.171, e-artnow

• A person who doubts himself is like a man who would enlist in the ranks of his enemies and bear arms agains himself. He makes his failure certain by himself being the first person to be convinced of it.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Inspiring, Success, Failure

• TRUST, n. In American politics, a large corporation composed in greater part of thrifty working men, widows of small means, orphans in the care of guardians and the courts, with many similar malefactors and public enemies.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Mean, Men, Enemy

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.226, 谷月社

• Introduction - a social ceremony invented by the devil for the gratification of his servants and the plaguing of his enemies.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Evil, Enemy, Social

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.136, University of Georgia Press

• When you are ill make haste to forgive your enemies, for you may recover.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Forgiving, Enemy, Haste

• We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are
  created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
  inalienable rights; that among these are life, and the right to
  make that of another miserable by thrusting upon him an
  incalculable quantity of acquaintances; liberty, particularly the
  liberty to introduce persons to one another without first
  ascertaining if they are not already acquainted as enemies; and
  the pursuit of another's happiness with a running pack of
  strangers.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Running, Men, Rights

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.115, 谷月社

• An army's bravest men are its cowards. The death which they would not meet at the hands of the enemy they will meet at the hands of their officers, with never a flinching.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Army, Men, Hands

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “Civil War Stories”, p.14, Courier Corporation

• PITIFUL, adj. The state of an enemy or opponent after an imaginary encounter with oneself.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Enemy, Encounters, Opponents

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.165, 谷月社

• For every man there is something in the vocabulary that would stick to him like a second skin. His enemies have only to find it.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Men, Vocabulary, Names

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Devil's Dictionary”, p.87, Courier Corporation

• CALLOUS, adj. Gifted with great fortitude to bear the evils afflicting another. When Zeno was told that one of his enemies was no more he was observed to be deeply moved. "What!" said one of his disciples, "you weep at the death of an enemy?" "Ah, 'tis true," replied the great Stoic; "but you should see me smile at the death of a friend.".

  Ambrose Bierce

  Evil, Death Of A Friend, Enemy

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.31, University of Georgia Press

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