Liberty, as well as honor, man ought to preserve at the hazard of his life, for without it, life
is unsupportable.
—Miguel de Cervantes, 1615
Freedom cannot be bought for nothing. If you hold it precious, you must hold all else of
little value.
—Seneca, *65 AD
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve
neither Liberty nor Safety.
—Benjamin Franklin, 1755
If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will loose its freedom.
—W. Somerset Maugham, 1941
The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance.
—John Philpot Curran, 1790
20
He only earns his freedom and existence
Who daily conquers them anew.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1832
21
God grants liberty only to those who love it and are always ready to guard and defend it.
—Daniel Webster, 1834
There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it
comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences.
—P. J. O’Rourke, 1993
***
Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.
—George Bernard Shaw, 1903
A hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his
freedom.
—Bob Dylan, 1985
Man is tormented by no greater anxiety than to find someone quickly to whom he can hand
over that great gift of freedom with which the ill-fated creature is born.
—Fyodor Dostoevsky, 1880
20
A shorter paraphrase of this statement, “The price for freedom is eternal vigilance,” is frequently
attributed to Thomas Jefferson (starting from 1834), but I am not aware of any reliable confirmation of his authorship.
21
From Part 2 of his Faust. (Translation by Walter Arndt.)
154
On Society and Solitude, Liberty and Civilization
is unsupportable.
—Miguel de Cervantes, 1615
Freedom cannot be bought for nothing. If you hold it precious, you must hold all else of
little value.
—Seneca, *65 AD
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve
neither Liberty nor Safety.
—Benjamin Franklin, 1755
If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will loose its freedom.
—W. Somerset Maugham, 1941
The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance.
—John Philpot Curran, 1790
20
He only earns his freedom and existence
Who daily conquers them anew.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1832
21
God grants liberty only to those who love it and are always ready to guard and defend it.
—Daniel Webster, 1834
There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it
comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences.
—P. J. O’Rourke, 1993
***
Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.
—George Bernard Shaw, 1903
A hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his
freedom.
—Bob Dylan, 1985
Man is tormented by no greater anxiety than to find someone quickly to whom he can hand
over that great gift of freedom with which the ill-fated creature is born.
—Fyodor Dostoevsky, 1880
20
A shorter paraphrase of this statement, “The price for freedom is eternal vigilance,” is frequently
attributed to Thomas Jefferson (starting from 1834), but I am not aware of any reliable confirmation of his authorship.
21
From Part 2 of his Faust. (Translation by Walter Arndt.)
154
On Society and Solitude, Liberty and Civilization