
“A blow from your friend is better than a kiss from your enemy.”
As quoted in Geary's Guide to the World's Great Aphorists (2007) by James Geary, p. 118
The Bull from the Sea (1962)
“A blow from your friend is better than a kiss from your enemy.”
As quoted in Geary's Guide to the World's Great Aphorists (2007) by James Geary, p. 118
“…but it is better to learn wisdom late than never to learn it at all.”
Source: The Man with the Twisted Lip
“Preventing war is much better than protesting against the war. Protesting the war is too late.”
Source: Being Peace
“It is better to learn from the mistakes of others than that others should learn from you.”
Te de aliis, quam alios de te suaviu’st.
Persa, Act IV, scene 3, line 70
Variant translation: ’Tis sweeter far wisdom to gain from other’s woes, than others should learn from ours. (translation by Bonnell Thornton)
Persa (The Persian)
Roses From my Friends
Song lyrics, The Will to Live (1997)
“It occurred to me that if my friends were loathsome, perhaps I needed to learn from my enemies.”
Homecoming saga, Earthborn (1995)
Birds (414 BC)
Context: Epops: You're mistaken: men of sense often learn from their enemies. Prudence is the best safeguard. This principle cannot be learned from a friend, but an enemy extorts it immediately. It is from their foes, not their friends, that cities learn the lesson of building high walls and ships of war. And this lesson saves their children, their homes, and their properties.
Chorus [leader]: It appears then that it will be better for us to hear what they have to say first; for one may learn something at times even from one's enemies.
(tr. Anon. 1812 rev. in Ramage 1864, p. 45 http://books.google.com/books?id=AoUCAAAAQAAJ&pg;=PA45)
“4833. The wise Man draws more Advantage from his Enemies, than a Fool from his Friends.”
Compare Poor Richard's Almanack (1749) : The wise Man draws more Advantage from his Enemies, than the Fool from his Friends.
Introductio ad prudentiam: Part II (1727), Gnomologia (1732)