Any excuse will serve a tyrant.

Any excuse will serve a tyrant.

None but tyrants have any business to be afraid.
[Fr., Fr., Il n'appartient, qu'aux tyrans d'etre toujours en
read more

None but tyrants have any business to be afraid.
[Fr., Fr., Il n'appartient, qu'aux tyrans d'etre toujours en
crainte.]

The closed door and the sealed lips are prerequisites to tyranny.

The closed door and the sealed lips are prerequisites to tyranny.

The tyrant dies and his rule ends, the martyr dies and his rule begins.

The tyrant dies and his rule ends, the martyr dies and his rule begins.

Under conditions of tyranny it is far easier to act than to think.

Under conditions of tyranny it is far easier to act than to think.

The worst form of tyranny the world has ever known the tyranny of the weak over the strong. It is read more

The worst form of tyranny the world has ever known the tyranny of the weak over the strong. It is the only tyranny that lasts.

I knew him tyrannous; and tyrants' fears
Decrease not, but grow faster than the years;
And should read more

I knew him tyrannous; and tyrants' fears
Decrease not, but grow faster than the years;
And should he doubt it, as no doubt he doth,
That I should open to the list'ning air
How many worthy princes' bloods were shed
To keep his bed of blackness unlaid ope,
To lop that doubt, he'll fill this land with arms
And make pretense of wrong that I have done him;
When all, for mine, if I may call offense,
Must feel war's blow, who spares not innocence;
Which love to all, of which thyself art one,
Who now reproved'st me for't--

When the tyrant has disposed of foreign enemies by conquest or treaty and there is nothing to fear from them, read more

When the tyrant has disposed of foreign enemies by conquest or treaty and there is nothing to fear from them, then he is always stirring up some war or other, in order that the people may require a leader.

Men are still men. The despot's wickedness
Comes of ill teaching, and of power's excess,--
Comes of read more

Men are still men. The despot's wickedness
Comes of ill teaching, and of power's excess,--
Comes of the purple he from childhood wears,
Slaves would be tyrants if the chance were theirs.