quotations about enemies
Enemies make us watchful of ourselves and induce self-examination; for we must argue thus: our foe hates us with reason or without reason; if without reason, then he not really hates us, but some other sort of person for whom he mistakes us; but if with reason, then it is plain we should improve, and remove the reason.
JAMES VILA BLAKE
Essays
Mortal enemies are like beautiful kitchens: Some households have them, and when they belong to famous people, we're immediately more interested in them. Which makes public feuds between mortal enemies akin to fancy custom appliances and gleaming copper pots as far as the eye can see.
ALEX ABAD-SANTOS
"Kanye West and Taylor Swift's latest fight explained", Vox, February 12, 2016
I am often thought of as being remarkably bright, and yet my brains, more often than not, are busily devising new and interesting ways of bringing my enemies to sudden, gagging, writhing, agonizing death.
ALAN BRADLEY
The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag
Whoever lives for the sake of combating an enemy has an interest in the enemy's staying alive.
FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE
Aphorisms on Love and Hate
Many men are loved by their enemies, and hated by their friends, and are the friends of their enemies, and the enemies of their friends.
PLATO
Lysis
The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy. No more. No less.
HOWARD TAYLOR
The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries
Beware of meat twice boil'd, and an old foe reconcil'd.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Poor Richard's Almanack, 1733