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Cunning


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Cunning

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Quotations

Abraham LincolnYou can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.

—  Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1865, American President

34 likes
William BlakeWhen a sinister person means to be your enemy, they always start by trying to become your friend.

—  William Blake, 1757-1827, English poet & painter

19 likes
Fyodor DostoyevskyThe more cunning a man is, the less he suspects that he will be caught in a simple thing. The more cunning a man is, the simpler the trap he must be caught in.

—  Fyodor Dostoyevsky, 1821-1881, Russian writer

15 likes
Oscar WildeOne should always play fairly when one has the winning cards.

—  Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900, Irish writer

14 likes
Niccolò MachiavelliOne must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.

—  Niccolò Machiavelli, 1469-1527, Italian political philosopher

14 likes
William ShakespeareLook like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it.

—  William Shakespeare, 1564-1616, English poet & playwright ‐ Macbeth

14 likes
Sun TzuPretend inferiority and encourage the arrogance of your enemy.

—  Sun Tzu, c. 5th cent. BC, Chinese general & military strategist

8 likes
Lord ChesterfieldWithout some dissimulation no business can be carried on at all.

—  Lord Chesterfield, 1694-1773, English statesman & writer

7 likes
Rutherford B. HayesFighting battles is like courting girls: those who make the most pretensions and are boldest usually win.

—  Rutherford B. Hayes, 1822-1893, American President [1877-1881]

7 likes
William BlakeThe weak in courage is strong in cunning.

—  William Blake, 1757-1827, English poet & painter

6 likes
Publilius SyrusHave courage, or cunning, when you deal with an enemy.

—  Publilius Syrus, 1st cent. AD, Roman author of maxims

5 likes
Francis BaconNothing doth more hurt in a state than that cunning men pass for wise.

—  Francis Bacon, 1561-1626, English philosopher

5 likes
George OrwellIf you kept the small rules, you could break the big ones.

—  George Orwell, 1903-1950, British writer

2 likes
Dr. Thomas FullerWith foxes we must play the fox.

—  Dr. Thomas Fuller, 1654-1734,  English physician and adage collector

2 likes
William Hazlitt Cunning is the art of concealing our own defects, and discovering other people's weaknesses.

—  William Hazlitt , 1778-1830, English essayist & critic

Alexandre Dumas, filsHonesty is the greatest of all mischief, because it is the only one that the smart ones do not foresee.

—  Alexandre Dumas, fils, 1824-1895, French writer

Alexandre Dumas, filsThe silliest woman is a hundred times more cunning than the wittiest man.

—  Alexandre Dumas, fils, 1824-1895, French writer

Søren KierkegaardAll the shrewdness of “man” seeks one thing: to be able to live without responsibility.

—  Søren Kierkegaard, 1813-1855, Danish philosopher

Ancient Greek

AristophanesMan is naturally deceitful ever, in every way!

Δολερόν μεν αεί κατά πάντα δη τρόπον πέφυκεν άνθρωπος.

—  Aristophanes, 445-386 BC, Ancient Greek comic playwright ‐ Birds

28 likes
AristotleOnly the cunning needs excuses.

Προφάσεως δείται μόνον η πονηρία.

—  Aristotle, 384-322 BC, Ancient Greek philosopher

7 likes
Diphilos of SifnosDishonest gain has short pleasures and long sorrows.

Τα πονηρά κέρδη τας μεν ηδονάς έχει μικράς, τας δε λύπας μακράς.

—  Diphilos of Sifnos, c. 7th cent. BC, Ancient Greek epic poet

6 likes
AristophanesTo think, to see, to understand, to show the arse, to trick, to suspect the worst, to question everything.

Νοείν, οράν, ξυνιέναι, στρέφειν έδραν, τεχνάζειν, κάχ’ υποτοπείσθαι, περινοείν άπαντα.

—  Aristophanes, 445-386 BC, Ancient Greek comic playwright ‐ Frogs

     (what Euripides taught to Athenians, according to Aristophanes)

5 likes
EuripidesWomen are very good in inventing ruses.

Δειναί γαρ αι γυναίκες ευρίσκειν τέχνας.

—  Euripides, 480-406 BC, Ancient Greek tragedian ‐ Iphigenia in Tauris,

5 likes
Ancient Greek phrasePlaying the fox to another fox.

Αλωπεκίζειν προς ετέραν αλώπεκα.

—  Ancient Greek phrase

4 likes
EuripidesYou will find many machinations since you are a woman.

Πολλάς αν εύροις μηχανάς, γυνή γαρ εί.

—  Euripides, 480-406 BC, Ancient Greek tragedian ‐ Andromache

3 likes
DemosthenesIt is better to look simple-minded than to be shrewd.

Κρείττον ευήθη δοκείν ή πονηρόν είναι.

—  Demosthenes, 384-322 BC, Ancient Athenian & statesman orator

2 likes

Proverbs

Greek proverbBetter a tricky enemy than a tricky friend.

—  Greek proverb

5 likes



Similar categories & topics of Quotations






Similar Topics

Deception

Hypocrisy

Pettiness

Scoundrels & Villains

Devil

Self-interest

Skills

Corruption

Promises

Traps

Manipulation

Adaptation

Strategy

Exploitation

Contrary Topics

Stupidity

Honesty

Innocence

Gullibility

 Popular Topics
1 Friendship
2 Victory & Defeat
3 Solitude
4 Seduction
5 Self-reliance
6 Ego
7 Drinking
8 Cunning
9 Eroticism
10 Nudity
11 Vanity
12 Self-deprecation
13 Incompetence
14 Sex
15 Religion
16 Meaning of Life
17 Life
18 Death
19 Corruption
20 Democracy
 

2024: Manolis Papathanassiou