“Cowardice was undoubtedly one of the most terrible vices - thus spoke Yeshua Ha-Nozri. 'No, philosopher, I disagree with you: it is the most terrible vice!”
Book Two in 'The Burial', P/V, here Pontius Pilate responds to Yeshua
The Master and Margarita (1967)
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Mikhail Bulgakov 63
Russian author primarily known for his novel "Master and Ma… 1891–1940Related quotes
“If it is true that cowardice is the most grave vice, then the dog, at least, is not guilty of it.”
Book Two in 'Time to Go! Time to Go!', B/O, here Woland is speaking to the Master about Pontius Pilate
Source: The Master and Margarita (1967)
Context: They have read your novel... and they said only one thing, that, unfortunately, it is not finished. So I wanted to show you your hero. He has been sitting here for about two thousand years, sleeping, but, when the moon is full, he is tormented, as you see, by insomnia. And it torments not only him, but his faithful guardian, the dog. If it is true that cowardice is the most grave vice, then the dog, at least, is not guilty of it. The only thing that brave creature ever feared was thunderstorms. But what can be done, the one who loves must share the fate of the one who is loved.
“Our virtues are most frequently but vices in disguise.”
Nos vertus ne sont, le plus souvent, que de vices déguisés.
Epigraph. Note: "This epigraph, which is the key to the system of La Rochefoucauld, is found in another form as No. 179 of the Maxims of the first edition, 1665; it is omitted from the second and third, and reappears for the first time in the fourth edition at the head of the Reflections". Aime Martin, editor, Bartlett's Quotations, 1919 edition.
Reflections; or Sentences and Moral Maxims (1665–1678)
“Money is the source of the greatest vice, & that Nation which is most rich, is most wicked.”
The Early Journals and Letters of Fanny Burney, vol. 1, p. 48, journal entry, November 17, 1768.
Letters
“Love--the most wonderful and most terrible thing in the world.”
Source: Gabriela, Clavo y Canela
Speech http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1918/nov/11/time-limit-for-reply in the House of Commons (11 November 1918)
Prime Minister
“Self-pity, he said, is the most demoralizing of all vices.”
Source: Friday (1982), Chapter 24 (p. 244)
“Love your fellow creature, though vicious. Hate vice in the friend you love the most.”
The Dignity of Human Nature (1754)
“Rape is one of the most terrible crimes on earth. And it happens every few minutes.”
As quoted in New Musical Express (1991-11-23).
Interviews (1989-1994), Print
“My life has been full of terrible misfortunes most of which never happened.”
Attributed