Silence is an ornament for women.
SophoclesRead
Isn't it the sweetest mockery to mock our enemies?
Interpretation
What this quote means
Mocking our enemies provides a sense of amusement and power over them.
In this quote by Sophocles, the speaker reflects on the irresistible allure of mocking oneβs enemies. This mockery serves as a means of asserting dominance and finding humor in adversities, revealing how laughter can sometimes be both a weapon and a defense mechanism in the face of conflict.
Themes
MockeryEnemiesHumorPowerConflict
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about rivalry, one might say, 'As Sophocles pointed out, isn't it the sweetest mockery to mock our enemies?' to emphasize the power dynamics at play.
More from Sophocles
All quotes βNone love the messenger who brings bad news.
SophoclesRead
All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.
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Not even Ares battles against necessity.
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You clearly hate to yield, but you will regret it when your anger has passed. Such natures are justly the hardest for themselves to bear.
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There is nothing more hateful than bad advice.
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Public speaking is done in the public tongue, the national or tribal language; and the language of our tribe is the men's language. Of course women learn it. We're not dumb. If you can tell Margaret Thatcher from Ronald Reagan, or Indira Gandhi from General Somoza, by anything they say, tell me how. This is a man's world, so it talks a man's language.
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My father was a man of principle who found his principles confirmed in the unremitting failure which they brought on him.
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Liberty is the proper end and object of authority, and cannot subsist without it; and it is liberty to that which is good, just, and honest.
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