“I know, indeed, the evil of that I purpose; but my inclination gets the better of my judgment.”
Source: Medea (431 BC), Line 1078
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Euripidés 116
ancient Athenian playwright -480–-406 BCRelated quotes
On the controversy over his weight, as quoted in "Ronaldo Traumatized With His Weight" http://www.insideworldsoccer.com/2010/04/ronaldo-traumatized-with-his-weight.html (April 2010), Inside World Soccer
“If I had followed my better judgment always, my life would have been a very dull one.”
From interview with Komal Nahta
The Cornerstone Speech (1861)
Context: This new constitution. or form of government, constitutes the subject to which your attention will be partly invited. In reference to it, I make this first general remark: it amply secures all our ancient rights, franchises, and liberties. All the great principles of Magna Charta are retained in it. No citizen is deprived of life, liberty, or property, but by the judgment of his peers under the laws of the land. The great principle of religious liberty, which was the honor and pride of the old constitution, is still maintained and secured. All the essentials of the old constitution, which have endeared it to the hearts of the American people, have been preserved and perpetuated. Some changes have been made. Some of these I should have preferred not to have seen made; but other important changes do meet my cordial approbation. They form great improvements upon the old constitution. So, taking the whole new constitution, I have no hesitancy in giving it as my judgment that it is decidedly better than the old.
1920s, The Doctrine Of The Sword (1920)
Context: I advocate training in arms for those who believe in the method of violence. I would rather have India resort to arms in order to defend her honor than that she should in a cowardly manner become or remain a helpless witness to her own dishonor.
But I believe that nonviolence is infinitely superior to violence, forgiveness is more manly than punishment, forgiveness adorns a soldier. But abstinence is forgiveness only when there is the power to punish, it is meaningless when it pretends to proceed from a helpless creature. A mouse hardly forgives cat when it allows itself to be torn to pieces by her. … I do not believe myself to be a helpless creature. Only I want to use India's and my strength for better purpose.
Let me not be misunderstood. Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
Congressional Record https://books.google.fr/books?id=mHjzYq7zoocC&q=%22+I+know+that+there+are+millions+of+good+loyal+Americans+who+belong+to+the+CIO%22&dq=%22+I+know+that+there+are+millions+of+good+loyal+Americans+who+belong+to+the+CIO%22&hl=fr&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjGo4ar-NPkAhXMxIUKHWB6DMYQ6AEIKzAA (1946)
1940s
As quoted by John Greenleaf Whittier in his poem "Abraham Davenport" first published in The Atlantic Monthly (May 1866); later published in The Tent on the Beach, and Other Poems (1867).
Context: This well may be The Day of Judgment which the world awaits; But be it so or not, I only know my present duty, and my Lord’s command to occupy till He come. So at the post where He hath set me in His providence, I choose, for one, to meet Him face to face, no faithless servant frightened from my task, but ready when the Lord of the harvest calls; and therefore, with all reverence, I would say, let God do His work, we will see to ours. Bring in the candles.
“I know of no better life purpose than to perish in attempting the great and the impossible.”
Philips v. Bury (1694), 2 T. R. 358.