Cruelty is fed, not weakened, by tears

Cruelty is fed, not weakened, by tears

In order to get power and retain it, it is necessary to love power; but love of power is not read more

In order to get power and retain it, it is necessary to love power; but love of power is not connected with goodness but with qualities that are the opposite of goodness, such as pride, cunning and cruelty

Cruelty, like every other vice, requires no motive outside of itself; it only requires opportunity

Cruelty, like every other vice, requires no motive outside of itself; it only requires opportunity

I must be cruel only to be kind.

I must be cruel only to be kind.

Inhumanity is caught from man,
From smiling man.

Inhumanity is caught from man,
From smiling man.

Cruelty and fear shake hands together

Cruelty and fear shake hands together

Lady, you are the cruell'st she alive
If you will these graces to the grave,
And leave read more

Lady, you are the cruell'st she alive
If you will these graces to the grave,
And leave the world no copy.

He rejoices to have made his way by ruin of others.
[Lat., Gaudensque viam fecisse ruina.]

He rejoices to have made his way by ruin of others.
[Lat., Gaudensque viam fecisse ruina.]

I would love to see the grimace he [Marquis de Cinq-Mars] is now
making on the scaffold.
[Fr., read more

I would love to see the grimace he [Marquis de Cinq-Mars] is now
making on the scaffold.
[Fr., Je voudrais bien voir la grimace qu'il fait a cette heure
sur cet echafaud.]