What is your favourite Historic quote or speech?

jakesnake · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:07

I have a few, but ill get the ball rolling with a sentence from The Declaration of Arbroath.

"for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule.
It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom --
for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself."

Jurax · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:11

"Madness..? This is Sparta!"

Cr0fty · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:14

Herbert Hoover: "Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die"

davedudes · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:15

Bertrand Russell

War does not determine who is right - only who is left.

Shayper · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:16

"I know not what weapons WW3 will be fought with, but WW4 will be fought with sticks and stones"

Albert Einstein. Awesome quote

StriderX · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:19

"He who increaseth Knowledge, increaseth Sorrow."

Ecclesiastes

Its so true that even the very statement proves it.

Dasheh · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:21

"Rule 1, on page 1 of the book of war, is: "Do not march on Moscow". Various people have tried it, Napoleon and Hitler, and it is no good." - Bernard Montgomery

Putty · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:21

Bessie Braddock: "Winston, you are drunk, and what's more, you are disgustingly drunk."

Churchill: "Bessie, my dear, you are ugly, and what's more, you are disgustingly ugly. But tomorrow I shall be sober and you will still be disgustingly ugly."

-- Quote by Winston Churchill

davedudes · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:22

Bruce Lee

A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.

arctine · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:24

Not an historical quote as such. In fact, it's from the Chronicles of Narnia but It's something that's stuck with me from childhood for some reason.

“In our world," said Eustace, "a star is a huge ball of flaming gas."

"Even in your world, my son, that is not what a star is, but only what it is made of,” replied the star.

― C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

neoglow · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:25

The letter to Mrs. Bixby written by Abraham Lincoln that is read out in the movie Saving Private Ryan.

From wikipedia:

Executive Mansion,
Washington, Nov. 21, 1864.

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

A. Lincoln

davedudes · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:28

Last one from Bertrand Russell.

Is there any knowledge in the world which is so certain that no reasonable man could doubt it?"

arctine · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:31

davedudes said:
Last one from Bertrand Russell.

Hmm. That's a paradox.

Unless that's the point?

davedudes · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:34

arctine said:
Hmm. That's a paradox.

Unless that's the point?

So many quotes but so few lives a Cat has.

*off to bed, bad head and tired*

Cosimo · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:35

Real:

Winston Churchill, June 4, 1940, House of Commons:

"We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender,"

Fiction:

HENRY V, William Shakespeare:

"This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."

Stoner81 · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:39

"You can not look dignified whilst having fun" - Lieutenant Wes Janson, Rouge Squadron.

Not exactly historical since it's from StarWars but I think it has a lot of merit to it

Stoner81.

pepp77 · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:40

Haven't really thought of a favourite but my most used would be

Ours is not to reason why. Ours is but to do and die

by Alfred Lord Tennyson

reflux · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:40

"...we can perhaps remember, if only for a time, that those who live with us are our brothers, that they share with us the same short moment of life; that they seek, as do we, nothing but the chance to live out their lives in purpose and in happiness, winning what satisfaction and fulfillment they can."

- Bobby Kennedy

davedudes · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:41

Stoner81 said:
"You can not look dignified whilst having fun" - Lieutenant Wes Janson, Rouge Squadron.

Not exactly historical since it's from StarWars but I think it has a lot of merit to it

Stoner81.

You big nerd.

jakesnake · 27 Jan 2012 at 18:44

Putty said:
Bessie Braddock: "Winston, you are drunk, and what's more, you are disgustingly drunk."

Churchill: "Bessie, my dear, you are ugly, and what's more, you are disgustingly ugly. But tomorrow I shall be sober and you will still be disgustingly ugly."

-- Quote by Winston Churchill

HAHA awesome!