Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotes by Philip Sidney (English Soldier, Poet, Courtier)

Sir Philip Sidney (1554–86) was an English poet, courtier, diplomat, and soldier. A favorite of Elizabeth I, he was the archetype of Renaissance chivalry—he was the perfect courtier and the universal gentleman. All his works were published posthumously. He strongly influenced English poetry through such works as Arcadia (1590,) a pastoral prose romance that included poems in a mixture of verse forms.

Born in Penshurst Place, Kent, Sidney tried nearly all his life to procure a military or court post, without much success. He instead poured his energies into writing, and in his late 20s, produced the first English sonnet sequence Astrophel and Stella (1591,) a series of passionate love poems for the wife of another man. Widely judged Elizabethan England’s great sonnet cycle, this series begins with these words: “Fool! said my muse to me, look in thy heart, and write.” 20 years later, Sidney’s style inspired Shakespeare’s sonnets. Sidney also wrote The Defence of Poesie (1595,) the first work of literary criticism in English.

Sidney was also a courtier—he held the ceremonial position of “cupbearer to the Queen”—and a statesman, serving several diplomatic missions abroad. When defending the Netherlands against Spain, Sidney was fatally wounded at the blockade of Zutphen. Legend holds that, although weak from loss of blood himself, he passed his water bottle to another soldier who had fought with him, saying, “Thy necessity is yet greater than mine.” Sidney’s wound worsened; he died of gangrene 26 days later, at the age of 31.

More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Philip Sidney

Commonly they must use their feet for defense whose only weapon is their tongue.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Defense, Conflict

Fear is the underminer of all determinations; and necessity, the victorious rebel of all laws.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Necessity

Nothing sooner overthrows a weak head than opinion of authority; like too strong liquor for a frail glass.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Authority

Every base occupation makes one sharp in its practice, and dull in every other.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Occupation

Some are unwisely liberal, and more delight to give presents than to pay debts.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Generosity

Youths will never live to age unless they keep themselves in breath by exercise, and in heart by joyfulness. Too much thinking doth consume the spirits; and oft it falls out, that while one thinks too much of doing, he fails to do the effect of his thinking.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Health, Youth

The ingredients of health and long life, are great temperance, open air, easy labor, and little care.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Health

All is but lip-wisdom which wants experience.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Experience

There is nothing so great that I fear to do it for my friend; nothing so small that I will disdain to do it for him.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Friendship

Wickedness may well be compared to a bottomless pit, into which it is easier to keep one’s self from falling, than, being fallen, to give one’s self any stay from falling infinitely.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Wickedness

Fearfulness, contrary to all other vices, maketh a man think the better of another, the worse of himself.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: The Past, Past

A brave captain is as a root, out of which, as branches, the courage of his soldiers doth spring.
—Philip Sidney

No sword bites so fiercely as an evil tongue.
—Philip Sidney

Whether your time calls you to live or die do both like a prince.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Duty

In the truly great, virtue governs with a scepter of knowledge and wisdom.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Greatness

The many-headed multitude, whom inconstancy only by accident doth guide to well-doing!—Who can set confidence there, where company takes away shame, and each may lay the fault upon his fellow.
—Philip Sidney

In victory, the hero seeks the glory, not the prey.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Victory

He that finds truth, without loving her, is like a bat; which, though it have eyes to discern that there is a sun, yet hath so evil eyes, that it cannot delight in the sun.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Truth

With a tale, for sooth, he comet unto you; with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney corner.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Storytelling

The truly valiant dare everything except doing any other body an injury.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Valor

It many times falls out that we deem ourselves much deceived in others, because we first deceived ourselves.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Deceit

No decking sets forth anything so much as affection.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Affection

Confidence in one’s self, though the chief nurse of magnanimity, doth not leave the care of necessary furniture for it; of all the Grecians, Homer doth make Achilles the best armed.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Confidence

There is no man suddenly either excellently good or extremely wicked; but grows so, either as he holds himself up in virtue, or lets himself slide to viciousness.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Wickedness

In all exigencies or miseries, lamentation becomes fools, and action wise folk.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Action

Weigh not so much what men assert, as what they prove. Truth is simple and naked, and needs not invention to apparel her comeliness.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Truth

Open suspecting of others comes of secretly condemning ourselves.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Doubt

Laws are not made like lime-twigs or nets, to catch everything that toucheth them; but rather like sea-marks, to guide from shipwreck the ignorant passenger.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Law

The mind itself must, like other things, sometimes be unbent; or else it will be either weakened or broken.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Mind

Courage ought to be guided by skill, and skill armed by courage.—Hardiness should not darken wit, nor wit cool hardiness.—Be valiant as men despising death, but confident as unwonted to be overcome.
—Philip Sidney
Topics: Courage

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