Misquotes and quotes out of context

[robbo180265]

That's really interesing Heibges,and back on track too

[Heibges]

Misquote: Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.

Quote: "Do not trust the horse, Trojans. Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks even when they bring gifts." Virgil's Aeneid, Book 2, 19 BC

or

Quote: "Nought from the Greeks towards me hath sped well.
So now I find that ancient proverb true,
Foes' gifts are no gifts: profit bring they none" Sophocles (496 - 406 BC), in Ajax

or

Quote: "Trust not their presents, nor admit the horse." John Dryden (b1631 d1700)

[Heibges]

Originally Posted by robbo180265

That's really interesing Heibges,and back on track too

Thank you, because staying on track is very difficult for me.

Misquote: "Cut off your nose to spite your face."
Quote: "He cut off his nose to be revenged of his face". Grose, "Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue", 1796.


Misquote: "Cut to the Chase."
Quote: "Jannings escapes... Cut to chase." script direction Hollywood Girl, 1929


Misquote: "A diamond lasts forever."
Quote: "So I really think that American gentlemen are the best after all, because kissing your hand may make you feel very very good but a diamond and safire bracelet lasts forever." Gentlemen Prefer Blonds, Anita Loos, 1925.

Misquote: "Don't change horses in mid stream."
Quote: "An old Dutch farmer, who remarked to a companion once that it was not best to swap horses when crossing streams." Abraham Lincoln, 1864

Misquote: "Don't keep a dog, and bark yourself."
Quote: "It is smal reason you should kepe a dog, and barke your selfe." Brian Melbancke, Philotimus: the Warre Betwixt Nature and Fortune, 1583

[Sailor Steve]

Pretty funny Heibges, considering your current sig. Following is the accepted original statement.

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

This statement was used as a motto on the title page of An Historical Review of the Constitution and Government of Pennsylvania. (1759) which was attributed to Franklin in the edition of 1812, but in a letter of September 27, 1760 to David Hume, he states that he published this book and denies that he wrote it, other than a few remarks that were credited to the Pennsylvania Assembly, in which he served. The phrase itself was first used in a letter from that Assembly dated November 11, 1755 to the Governor of Pennsylvania. An article on the origins of this statement here includes a scan that indicates the original typography of the 1759 document, which uses an archaic form of "s": "Thoſe who would give up Essential Liberty to purchaſe a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Researchers now believe that a fellow diplomat by the name of Richard Jackson is the primary author of the book. With the information thus far available the issue of authorship of the statement is not yet definitely resolved, but the evidence indicates it was very likely Franklin, who in the Poor Richard's Almanack of 1738 is known to have written a similar proverb: "Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, nor Liberty to purchase power."

Many paraphrased variants derived from this saying have arisen and have usually been incorrectly attributed to Franklin:

"They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
"Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither"
"He who would trade liberty for some temporary security, deserves neither liberty nor security"
"He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither"
"People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both."
"If we restrict liberty to attain security we will lose them both."
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."
"He who gives up freedom for safety deserves neither"

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin
http://www.futureofthebook.com/stories/storyReader$605

The second link has an actual reproduction of the original document. Of course as noted there is no direct evidence that Franklin actually said this, and he himself denied it.

[FIREWALL]

I hope nobody thinks my sig is a misquote

[Heibges]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Pretty funny Heibges, considering your current sig. Following is the accepted original statement.

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

This statement was used as a motto on the title page of An Historical Review of the Constitution and Government of Pennsylvania. (1759) which was attributed to Franklin in the edition of 1812, but in a letter of September 27, 1760 to David Hume, he states that he published this book and denies that he wrote it, other than a few remarks that were credited to the Pennsylvania Assembly, in which he served. The phrase itself was first used in a letter from that Assembly dated November 11, 1755 to the Governor of Pennsylvania. An article on the origins of this statement here includes a scan that indicates the original typography of the 1759 document, which uses an archaic form of "s": "Thoſe who would give up Essential Liberty to purchaſe a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Researchers now believe that a fellow diplomat by the name of Richard Jackson is the primary author of the book. With the information thus far available the issue of authorship of the statement is not yet definitely resolved, but the evidence indicates it was very likely Franklin, who in the Poor Richard's Almanack of 1738 is known to have written a similar proverb: "Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, nor Liberty to purchase power."

Many paraphrased variants derived from this saying have arisen and have usually been incorrectly attributed to Franklin:

"They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
"Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither"
"He who would trade liberty for some temporary security, deserves neither liberty nor security"
"He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither"
"People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both."
"If we restrict liberty to attain security we will lose them both."
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."
"He who gives up freedom for safety deserves neither"

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin
http://www.futureofthebook.com/stories/storyReader$605

The second link has an actual reproduction of the original document. Of course as noted there is no direct evidence that Franklin actually said this, and he himself denied it.

D'oh! AL was already busting my haggards over it, and I was going to change it.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Heibges

D'oh! AL was already busting my haggards over it, and I was going to change it.

That's okay. One of my favorites is "Government is not reason. It is not eloquence. it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master".

I originally heard it attributed to George Washington, and took it at face value. Some time later I was using it, and someone challenged me to show where he was actually quoted as saying (or writing) that. I couldn't find a direct quote after months of searching, and these days if I use it I always quote it as "attributed to George Washington, but unverified".