“Threats alone are the weapons of the threatened man.”

—  Leonardo Da Vinci

The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci (1883), XIX Philosophical Maxims. Morals. Polemics and Speculations.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update Sept. 27, 2023. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Threats alone are the weapons of the threatened man." by Leonardo Da Vinci?
Leonardo Da Vinci photo
Leonardo Da Vinci 363
Italian Renaissance polymath 1452–1519

Related quotes

“I think if you put an infallible weapon into man's fallible hands there is always a threat that something's going to go wrong.”

Karen Meagher British actress

Auditioning for the Apocalypse (1984)

“Liberty is only valued when it is threatened, therefore it is the threat that highlights the value.”

David Gemmell book Legend

Source: Drenai series, Legend, Pt 1: Against the Horde, Ch. 9
Context: Liberty is only valued when it is threatened, therefore it is the threat that highlights the value. We should be grateful to the Nadir, since they heighten the value of our liberty.

Andrew Tobias photo

“In short: Readily available low-cost life insurance would be a threat to the industry, and whatever threatens the life insurance industry threatens America.”

Andrew Tobias (1947) American journalist

Source: The Invisible Bankers, Everything The Insurance Industry Never Wanted You To Know (1982), Chapter 13, Gerber Life: Like Taking Candy From A Baby, p. 239.

Hillary Clinton photo

“His [Trump's] cavalier attitude about nuclear weapons is so deeply troubling. That is the number-one threat we face in the world. And it becomes particularly threatening if terrorists ever get their hands on any nuclear material. So a man who can be provoked by a tweet should not have his fingers anywhere near the nuclear codes, as far as I think anyone with any sense about this should be concerned.”

Hillary Clinton (1947) American politician, senator, Secretary of State, First Lady

Presidential campaign (April 12, 2015 – 2016), First presidential debate (September 26, 2016)

Tony Blair photo

“For the moment, let me say this: Saddam Hussein's regime is despicable, he is developing weapons of mass destruction, and we cannot leave him doing so unchecked. He is a threat to his own people and to the region and, if allowed to develop these weapons, a threat to us also.”

Tony Blair (1953) former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Hansard http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/vo020410/debtext/20410-04.htm, House of Commons 6th series, vol. 383, col. 23.
House of Commons statement on discussions with President Bush over the Middle East, 10 April 2002.
2000s

John F. Kerry photo

“If you don't believe…Saddam Hussein is a threat with nuclear weapons, then you shouldn't vote for me.”

John F. Kerry (1943) politician from the United States

usatoday.com, February 11, 2003 http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-02-11-dems-war-uast_x.htm

Martin Amis photo

“What is the only provocation that could bring about the use of nuclear weapons? Nuclear weapons. What is the priority target for nuclear weapons? Nuclear weapons. What is the only established defense against nuclear weapons? Nuclear weapons. How do we prevent the use of nuclear weapons? By threatening to use nuclear weapons. And we can't get rid of nuclear weapons, because of nuclear weapons. The intransigence, it seems, is a function of the weapons themselves.”

Martin Amis book Einstein's Monsters

"Introduction: Thinkability"
Einstein's Monsters (1987)

Stephen Hawking photo

“Although September 11 was horrible, it didn't threaten the survival of the human race, like nuclear weapons do.”

Stephen Hawking (1942–2018) British theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author

Interview "Colonies in space may be only hope, says Hawking" by Roger Highfield in Daily Telegraph (16 October 2001) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/10/16/nhawk16.xml&sSheet=/news/2001/10/16/ixhome.html

Agatha Christie photo

“"I saw a particular personage and I threatened him — yes, Mademoiselle, I, Hercule Poirot, threatened him."
"With the police?"
"No," said Poirot drily, "With the Press — a much more deadly weapon."”

Agatha Christie book The Mystery of the Blue Train

The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928)

Isaac Herzog photo

“The Iranian nuclear threat must be neutralized once and for all, with or without an agreement. Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons capabilities.”

Isaac Herzog (1960) Israeli politician

Source: Isaac Herzog (2021) cited in " Iran must be stopped from obtaining a nuclear bomb, with or without deal - Herzog https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/article-689474" on The Jerusalem Post, 22 December 2021.

Related topics