I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: "Oh Lord, make my enemies ridiculous." And God granted it.

J'ai toujours fait une prière à Dieu, qui est fort courte. La voici: Mon Dieu, rendez nos ennemis bien ridicules! Dieu m'a exaucé.

Voltaire

More information about this quote

Topic

Enemies

Author

Voltaire

Medium

Letter

Language

French

Time

1767 1760s 18th century

Occupation

Philosopher Writer

From

France Europe

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Voltaire. Letter to Etienne Noel Damilaville. 16 May 1767.

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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote by Voltaire

All is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.

Voltaire

Candide

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More information about this quote
Topic
Problem of evil Nature of the world The world
Speaker
Pangloss

Author

Voltaire
Source
Candide
Medium
Novel
Genre
Satire
Language
French
Time
1759 1750s 18th century
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Voltaire. Candide, ou l'Optimisme [Candide: or, All for the Best]. Geneva: Gabriel Cramer, 1759, ch. 1.

Current Citation

Voltaire. Candide, edited by Nicholas Cronk. W. W. Norton & Company, 2016, ch. 1.

Another quote from the 1760s

The body politic, like the human body, begins to die from its birth, and bears in itself the cause of its destruction.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

The Social Contract

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More information about this quote
Topic
Political community Things get worse

Author

Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Source
The Social Contract
Genre
Political literature Philosophical literature
Language
French
Time
1762 1760s 18th century
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. Du contrat social ou Principes du droit politique [On the Social Contract or Principles of Political Law]. Amsterdam: Marc Michel Rey, 1762, bk. 3, ch. 11.

Current Citation

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. "Of the Social Contract." Of the Social Contract and Other Political Writings, translated by Quintin Hoare. Penguin Classics, 2012, bk. 3, ch. 11.

Another quote about Enemies

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

The Godfather: Part II

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More information about this quote
Topic
Friends and enemies Friends Enemies
Speaker
Michael Corleone
Actor
Al Pacino
Source
The Godfather: Part II
Medium
Film
Genre
Crime (film) Epic (film) Crime Epic
Statement Type
Advice
Language
English
Time
1974 1970s 20th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

The Godfather Part II. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Paramount Pictures Studios/American Zoetrope/Coppola Company, 1974.

Another quote originally in French

There are no small steps in great affairs.

Jean-Francois Paul de Gondi, Cardinal de Retz

More information about this quote
Topic
Going for it Taking risks

Author

Jean-Francois Paul de Gondi, Cardinal de Retz
Genre
Autobiography and memoir
Language
French
Time
1717 1710s 18th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

Gondi Paul De, Jean-Francois. Memoires du Cardinal de Retz [The Memoirs of the cardinal de Retz]. c. 1717, bk. 2.