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defeat quotes

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“the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.” Sun Tzu, The Art of War
“To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.” Sun Tzu, The Art of War
“It might be that to surrender to happiness was to accept defeat, but it was a defeat better than many victories.” W. Somerset Maugham, Of Human Bondage
“In any case you mustn't confuse a single failure with a final defeat.” F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tender Is the Night
“To keep dignity, and give honor where it’s due, so that defeat is not disgrace.” Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game
“The ugly and the stupid have the best of it in this world. They can sit at their ease and gape at the play. If they know nothing of victory, they are at least spared the knowledge of defeat.” Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray
“An army without culture is a dull-witted army, and a dull-witted army cannot defeat the enemy.” Mao Zedong, Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung
“There are defeats more triumphant than victories.” Michel de Montaigne, The Essays of Michel de Montaigne
“The enemy had been much demoralized by his defeats at Champion's Hill and the Big Black, and I believed he would not make much effort to hold Vicksburg.” Ulysses S. Grant, Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
“Another victory like that and we are done for.” James Joyce, Ulysses
“A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea
“The problem for us was to move forward to a decisive victory, or our cause was lost.” Ulysses S. Grant, Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
“So cowards fight when they can fly no further; so doves do peck the falcon's piercing talons; so desperate thieves, all hopeless of their lives, breathe out invectives 'gainst the officers.” William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 3
“It was Twelfth Night, and the Saxons, who in these days of torment refreshed and fortified themselves by celebrating the feasts of the Church, were off their guard, engaged in pious exercises, or perhaps even drunk. Down swept the ravaging foe....” Winston Churchill, A History of the English-Speaking Peoples
“A peace is of the nature of a conquest; for then both parties nobly are subdued, and neither party loser.” William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2
“It was like trying to make a move at chess when you were already mated.” George Orwell, 1984
“He had an idea that even when beaten he could steal a little victory by laughing at defeat.” John Steinbeck, East of Eden

Related topics

victory war weakness battle conquest opportunity enemy failure peace happiness perseverance stupidity man bravery laughter destruction culture honor dignity ugliness

Related authors

William Shakespeare (2)
Sun Tzu (2)
Ulysses S. Grant (2)
F. Scott Fitzgerald (1)
Oscar Wilde (1)
George Orwell (1)
John Steinbeck (1)
Winston Churchill (1)
Ernest Hemingway (1)
James Joyce (1)
Michel de Montaigne (1)
W. Somerset Maugham (1)
Mao Zedong (1)
Orson Scott Card (1)

Related sources

The Art of War (2)
Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant (2)
Tender Is the Night (1)
A History of the English-Speaking Peoples (1)
1984 (1)
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1)
East of Eden (1)
The Old Man and the Sea (1)
Of Human Bondage (1)
The Essays of Michel de Montaigne (1)
Ulysses (1)
Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (1)
Henry VI, Part 3 (1)
Henry IV, Part 2 (1)
Ender's Game (1)