General

Explore 65 quotes by Generals

I came, I saw, I conquered.

Julius Caesar

Quoted in Plutarch's Lives, by Plutarch

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Topic

Victory Domination

Speaker

Julius Caesar

Author

Plutarch

Source

Julius Caesar Plutarch's Lives

Genre

Biography Historical literature

Statement Type

Boast

Language

Latin

Time

46 BC 40s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Caesar, Julius. Quoted in "Julius Caesar." Parallel Lives by Plutarch. c. 2nd century BC, ch. 50, sect. 2.

Current Citation

Caesar, Julius. Quoted in "Julius Caesar." Parallel Lives by Plutarch. Oxford University Press, 2009, ch. 50, sect. 2.

Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be defeated.

Sun Tzu

The Art of War

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Topic

Self-knowledge Enemies

Author

Sun Tzu

Source

The Art of War

Medium

Treatise

Genre

Military treatise

Statement Type

Advice

Language

Chinese

Time

475 BC 470s BC 5th century BC

Authentication Score 0

Original Citation

Sun Tzu. 孫子兵法 [The Art of War]. c. 475 BC, ch. 3.

Current Citation

Sun Tzu. The Art of War: The Essential Translation of the Classic Book of Life, translated by John Minford. Penguin Classics, 2009, ch. 3.

Never interrupt your enemy when he's making a mistake.

Napoleon Bonaparte

More information about this quote

Topic

Military strategy

Author

Napoleon Bonaparte

Source

History of Europe

Language

French

Time

1805 1800s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Bonaparte, Napoleon. Quoted in History of Europe from the Commencement of the French Revolution in 1789 to the Restoration of the Bourbons in 1815, written by Archibald Alison. Vol. 5, Paris: Baudry's European Library, 1841.

Happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous.

Pericles

Quoted in Funeral Oration, by Thucydides

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Topic

Happiness Freedom Courage

Speaker

Pericles

Author

Thucydides

Source

Funeral Oration History of the Peloponnesian War

Genre

Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

430 BC 430s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Pericles. Quoted in The History of the Peloponnesian War. c. 431 BC, bk. 2.

Current Citation

Pericles. Quoted in The Peloponnesian War, translated by Martin Hammond. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 2.

One more such victory over the Romans and we are lost.

Pyrrhus

Quoted in Plutarch's Lives, by Plutarch

On the defeat of the Romans at Asculum, 279 BC, a battle in which his army suffered heavy losses at the hands of the Romans.

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Topic

Pyrrhic victory Victory

Speaker

Pyrrhus

Author

Plutarch

Source

Plutarch's Lives

Genre

Biography

Statement Type

Paradox Prophecies and predictions

Language

Greek

Time

279 BC 270s BC 3rd century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Pyrrhus. Quoted in "Pyrrhus." Parallel Lives by Plutarch. c. 2nd century BC, ch. 21, sect. 9.

Current Citation

Pyrrhus. Quoted in "Pyrrhus." Parallel Lives by Plutarch. Oxford University Press, 2009, ch. 21, sect. 9.

We are lovers of beauty without extravagance, and lovers of wisdom without unmanliness. Wealth is to us is not mere material for vainglory but an opportunity for achievement; and poverty we think it no disgrace to acknowledge but a real degradation to make no effort to overcome.

Pericles

Quoted in Funeral Oration, by Thucydides

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Topic

Golden mean

Speaker

Pericles

Author

Thucydides

Source

Funeral Oration History of the Peloponnesian War

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech Historical literature

Language

Greek

Time

430 BC 430s BC 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Thucydides. The History of the Peloponnesian War. c. 431 BC, bk. 2.

Current Citation

Thucydides. The Peloponnesian War, translated by Martin Hammond. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 2.

Remember the Alamo!

Sidney Sherman

More information about this quote

Topic

Texas

Speaker

Sidney Sherman

Statement Type

Orders and commands

Language

English

Time

1836 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Sherman, Sidney. Battle cry at San Jacinto. 21 Apr. 1836, San Jacinto, TX, USA.

To govern is to choose.

Pierre-Marc-Gaston de Lévis

More information about this quote

Topic

Political leadership Politics

Author

Pierre-Marc-Gaston de Lévis

Language

French

Time

1808 1800s 19th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Levis, Pierre Marc Gaston. "Maximes de Politique." Maximes et reflexions sur differents sujets. Paris, 1808, no. 19.

War is not merely a political act, but also a real political instrument, a continuation of political commerce, a carrying out of the same by other means.

Karl Von Clausewitz

On War

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Topic

Nature of war War

Author

Karl Von Clausewitz

Source

On War

Genre

Political literature

Language

German

Time

1833 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Clausewitz, Karl. Vom Kriege [On War]. Berlin: Ferdinand Dummler, 1832, ch. 1, pt. 1.

Current Citation

Clausewitz, Carl. On War, translated by Michael Howard and Peter Paret. Everyman's Library, 1993, ch. 1, pt. 1.

In war, indeed, there can be no substitute for victory.

Douglas MacArthur

More information about this quote

Topic

War

Speaker

Douglas MacArthur

Medium

Speech

Language

English

Time

1951 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

MacArthur, Douglas. Address to a Joint Meeting of Congress. House of Representatives. 19 Apr. 1951, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.

Douglas MacArthur

More information about this quote

Topic

Going to war Military strategy

Speaker

Douglas MacArthur

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1952 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

MacArthur, Douglas. Keynote address at the Republican National Convention. Republican National Convention. 7 July 1952, International Amphitheatre, Chicago, IL, USA.

My center is giving way, my right is retreating, situation excellent, I am attacking.

Ferdinand Foch

More information about this quote

Topic

Aggression Battle

Speaker

Ferdinand Foch

Language

French

Time

1914 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Foch, Ferdinand. Message sent during the first Battle of the Marne. 8 Sept. 1914.

The die is cast.

Julius Caesar

Quoted in Lives of the Caesars, by Suetonius

More information about this quote

Topic

No turning back Decisions and choices

Speaker

Julius Caesar

Author

Suetonius

Source

Lives of the Caesars

Genre

Biography Historical literature

Language

Latin

Time

49 BC 40s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Caesar, Julius. Quoted in De vita Caesarum [About the Life of the Caesars], by Suetonius. 121 AD.

Current Citation

Caesar, Julius. Quoted in "Divus Julius." Lives of the Caesars, written by Suetonius, translated by Robert Graves. Penguin, 2007, sect. 32.

Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate.

Sun Tzu

The Art of War

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Topic

Military strategy

Author

Sun Tzu

Source

The Art of War

Medium

Treatise

Genre

Military treatise

Language

Chinese

Time

490 BC 490s BC 5th century BC

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Sun Tzu. 孫子兵法 [The Art of War]. c. 475 BC, ch. 6.

Current Citation

Sun Tzu. The Art of War: The Essential Translation of the Classic Book of Life, translated by John Minford. Penguin Classics, 2009, ch. 6.

If you want to make peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.

Moshe Dayan

More information about this quote

Topic

Making peace

Speaker

Moshe Dayan

Language

English

Time

1977 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Dayan, Moshe. Quoted in Newsweek. 17 Oct. 1977.

Along the vital Pacific Coast over 112,000 potential enemies, of Japanese extraction, are at large today. There are indications that these are organized and ready for concerted action at a favorable opportunity. The very fact that no sabotage has taken place to date is a disturbing and confirming indication that such action will be taken

John DeWitt

More information about this quote

Topic

World War II

Author

John DeWitt

Language

English

Time

1942 1940s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

DeWitt, John L. Final Report on the Japanese Evacuation from the West Coast. c. 1942.

Eternal peace is a dream, and not even a beautiful one, and war is a link in God's world order. In him, the noblest virtues of man, courage and renunciation, devotion to duty and willingness to sacrifice, unfold with the institution of life. Without the war, the world would become bogged down in materialism.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

More information about this quote

Topic

Praise of war War

Author

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

Medium

Letter

Language

German

Time

1880 1880s 19th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Von Moltke, Helmuth. Letter to Johann Caspar Bluntschli. 11 Dec. 1880.

Gaul as a whole is divided into three parts.

Julius Caesar

The Gallic Wars

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Topic

France

Author

Julius Caesar

Source

The Gallic Wars

Genre

Historical literature Autobiography and memoir

Language

Latin

Time

49 BC 40s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Caesar, Julius. Commentarii de Bello Gallico [Commentaries on the Gallic War]. c. 58, bk. 1.

Current Citation

Caesar, Julius. The Gallic War, translated by Carolyn Hammond. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 1.

Men are nearly always willing to believe what they wish.

Julius Caesar

The Gallic Wars

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Topic

Credulity Human nature

Author

Julius Caesar

Source

The Gallic Wars

Genre

Historical literature Autobiography and memoir

Language

Latin

Time

49 BC 40s BC 1st century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Caesar, Julius. Commentarii de Bello Gallico [Commentaries on the Gallic War]. c. 49 BC, bk. 3.

Current Citation

Caesar, Julius. The Gallic War, translated by Carolyn Hammond. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 3.

To fight and conquer in all our battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.

Sun Tzu

The Art of War

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Topic

Military strategy

Author

Sun Tzu

Source

The Art of War

Medium

Treatise

Genre

Military treatise

Language

Chinese

Time

500 BC 500s BC 6th century BC

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Sun Tzu. 孫子兵法 [The Art of War]. c. 475 BC, ch. 3.

Current Citation

Sun Tzu. The Art of War: The Essential Translation of the Classic Book of Life, translated by John Minford. Penguin Classics, 2009, ch. 3.