--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Although the last enemy might be death…" description: "\"“Although the last enemy might be death, in long and sad police experience, the first enemy could usually be found, Cain and Abel fashion, within the f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b7/catherine-aird-59363_cain-and-abel_although-the-last-enemy-might-be-death-i_2676002.jpg" --- # Although the last enemy might be death, in long and sad… ![“Although the last enemy might be death, in long and sad police experience, the first enemy could usually be found, Cain and Abel fashion, within the family circle.” quote by Catherine Aird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b7/catherine-aird-59363_cain-and-abel_although-the-last-enemy-might-be-death-i_2676002.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b7/catherine-aird-59363_cain-and-abel_although-the-last-enemy-might-be-death-i_2676002.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b7/catherine-aird-59363_cain-and-abel_although-the-last-enemy-might-be-death-i_2676002.jpg) > ““Although the last enemy might be death, in long and sad police experience, the first enemy could usually be found, Cain and Abel fashion, within the family circle.”” [Catherine Aird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-aird/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Family conflict can be as deadly as external threats, with betrayal rooted in close relations. **In simple terms:** Family can be a dangerous enemy. Key Takeaway Beware of betrayal from loved ones. Themes family betrayal conflict trust Mood cautious thoughtful Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - marriage counseling - inheritance disputes - team dynamics Key Concepts psychology of kinship moral ambiguity crime fiction Questions to Reflect On - What signs indicate hidden family tensions? - How can trust be rebuilt after betrayal? A Different Perspective May generalize all families as hostile. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cain and abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cain-and-abel/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police/) ## Related quotes > [“Since the time of Cain and Abel, family disputes have been marked by the irrational and impulsive decision of those involved, the fierce battles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-g-forden/since-the-time-of-cain-and-abel-family-disputes-have-been-marked-by/) Sara G. Forden > [“Was his brother’s name Cain?’ asked Tom. Hatty pretended not to have heard him. This was particularly irritating to Tom, as it was what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-pearce/was-his-brother-s-name-cain-asked-tom-hatty-pretended-not-to-have/) [Philippa Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-pearce/) > [Threw the roof off this bitch like we just had a tornado. Desert Eagles, they twins, I call em Cain and Abel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-jeezy/threw-the-roof-off-this-bitch-like-we-just-had-a-tornado-desert/) [Young Jeezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-jeezy/) > [Desert Eagles, they twins, I call em Cain and Abel. Hundred K in my pocket, that shit as thick as a Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-jeezy/desert-eagles-they-twins-i-call-em-cain-and-abel-hundred-k-in-my/) [Young Jeezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-jeezy/) > [I just felt like Ethel was such a prim and proper and poised, womanly, matronly, old American name. It felt so stiff and scratchy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-cain/i-just-felt-like-ethel-was-such-a-prim-and-proper-and-poised-womanly/) [Ethel Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-cain/) > [What always strikes me in the story of Cain and Abel is how often the word "brother" is used. Cain killed his "brother." God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-boesak/what-always-strikes-me-in-the-story-of-cain-and-abel-is-how-often-the/) [Allan Boesak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-boesak/) > [“You'll never think of the old Cain and Abel battle the same way. Day's gripping, compelling, and kick-ass Eve of Darkness will have you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-mcgee-causey/you-ll-never-think-of-the-old-cain-and-abel-battle-the-same-way-day-s/) [Toni McGee Causey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-mcgee-causey/) > [I just try to get out of my own way because if anyone is their own worst enemy, it's usually you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-just-try-to-get-out-of-my-own-way-because-if-anyone-is-their-own/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is not the state of war that isolates. It is well known, it brings people together. But in the battlefield -- that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/it-is-not-the-state-of-war-that-isolates-it-is-well-known-it-brings/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [But only agony, and that has ending; And the worst friend and enemy is but Death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-brooke/but-only-agony-and-that-has-ending-and-the-worst-friend-and-enemy-is/) [Rupert Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-brooke/) > [And in me too the wave rises. It swells; it arches its back. I am aware once more of a new desire, something rising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/and-in-me-too-the-wave-rises-it-swells-it-arches-its-back-i-am-aware/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Terrible as is war, it yet displays the spiritual grandeur of man daring to defy his mightiest hereditary enemy--death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-heine/terrible-as-is-war-it-yet-displays-the-spiritual-grandeur-of-man/) [Heinrich Heine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-heine/) > [“As the last enemy, death is to be brought to nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/watch-tower-bible-and-tract-society-of-pennsylvania/as-the-last-enemy-death-is-to-be-brought-to-nothing/) Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania > [“The word “brotherhood" is, to be sure, a fine word, but we oughtn't to forget its ambiguity. The first pair of brothers in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-cardinal-ratzinger/the-word-brotherhood-is-to-be-sure-a-fine-word-but-we-oughtn-t-to/) Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger > [Take the story of Cain and Abel. Why were we given that story? Scientifically, you may have an explanation for it, but I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/take-the-story-of-cain-and-abel-why-were-we-given-that-story/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) ## More by Catherine Aird > [“He did his best to explain this to Inspector Sloan afterwards. 'A funny feeling, sir.' 'Yes?' Funny feelings were not encouraged at Berebury Police…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-aird/he-did-his-best-to-explain-this-to-inspector-sloan-afterwards-a-funny/) [Catherine Aird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-aird/) > [“Though,' observed Sloan profoundly, 'where there's a will there's usually a relative.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-aird/though-observed-sloan-profoundly-where-there-s-a-will-there-s-usually/) [Catherine Aird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-aird/) > [“Sloane wasn't interested. As a police officer he was concerned with crime, not punishment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-aird/sloane-wasn-t-interested-as-a-police-officer-he-was-concerned-with/) [Catherine Aird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-aird/) > [If you can't be a good example, then you will just have to be a horrible warning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-aird/if-you-can-t-be-a-good-example-then-you-will-just-have-to-be-a/) [Catherine Aird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-aird/) [Explore all 5 Catherine Aird quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-aird/) ## More Cain and abel quotes > [Take the story of Cain and Abel. Why were we given that story? Scientifically, you may have an explanation for it, but I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/take-the-story-of-cain-and-abel-why-were-we-given-that-story/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“The word “brotherhood" is, to be sure, a fine word, but we oughtn't to forget its ambiguity. The first pair of brothers in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-cardinal-ratzinger/the-word-brotherhood-is-to-be-sure-a-fine-word-but-we-oughtn-t-to/) Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger > [“You'll never think of the old Cain and Abel battle the same way. Day's gripping, compelling, and kick-ass Eve of Darkness will have you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-mcgee-causey/you-ll-never-think-of-the-old-cain-and-abel-battle-the-same-way-day-s/) [Toni McGee Causey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-mcgee-causey/) > [“And I read something else," Jacob goes on. "There was this discussion of the story of Cain and Abel, from the Bible. After Cain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/and-i-read-something-else-jacob-goes-on-there-was-this-discussion-of/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [Literature more often tells the story of impulses we don't act on than of ones we do. I could joke about the Cain and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/literature-more-often-tells-the-story-of-impulses-we-don-t-act-on/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [What always strikes me in the story of Cain and Abel is how often the word "brother" is used. Cain killed his "brother." God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-boesak/what-always-strikes-me-in-the-story-of-cain-and-abel-is-how-often-the/) [Allan Boesak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-boesak/) > [I just felt like Ethel was such a prim and proper and poised, womanly, matronly, old American name. It felt so stiff and scratchy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-cain/i-just-felt-like-ethel-was-such-a-prim-and-proper-and-poised-womanly/) [Ethel Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-cain/) > [Some brothers are like Cain and Abel. Other brothers can fight with each other and get along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/some-brothers-are-like-cain-and-abel-other-brothers-can-fight-with/) [Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/) > [Desert Eagles, they twins, I call em Cain and Abel. Hundred K in my pocket, that shit as thick as a Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-jeezy/desert-eagles-they-twins-i-call-em-cain-and-abel-hundred-k-in-my/) [Young Jeezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-jeezy/) > [Threw the roof off this bitch like we just had a tornado. Desert Eagles, they twins, I call em Cain and Abel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-jeezy/threw-the-roof-off-this-bitch-like-we-just-had-a-tornado-desert/) [Young Jeezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-jeezy/) > [ I may be a descendant of Seth. I say to myself, What does \[the story of Cain and Abel\] teach me? So I go… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-may-be-a-descendant-of-seth-i-say-to-myself-what-does-the-story-of/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“Was his brother’s name Cain?’ asked Tom. Hatty pretended not to have heard him. This was particularly irritating to Tom, as it was what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-pearce/was-his-brother-s-name-cain-asked-tom-hatty-pretended-not-to-have/) [Philippa Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-pearce/) > [The gods were bored and so they created man. Adam was bored because he was alone, so Eve was created. Thus boredom entered the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/the-gods-were-bored-and-so-they-created-man-adam-was-bored-because-he/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [“Positivist man is a curious creature who dwells in the tiny island of light composed of what he finds scientifically "meaningful," while the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/positivist-man-is-a-curious-creature-who-dwells-in-the-tiny-island-of/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [I challenge anyone to tell me that there isn’t evil in this world. From the days of Cain and Abel we know all too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taya-kyle/i-challenge-anyone-to-tell-me-that-there-isn-t-evil-in-this-world/) [Taya Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taya-kyle/) [Browse all 18 Cain and abel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cain-and-abel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Although the last enemy might be death, in long and sad police experience, the first enemy could usually be found, Cain and Abel fashion, within the family circle.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Catherine Aird" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-aird/although-the-last-enemy-might-be-death-in-long-and-sad-police/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cain and abel" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-aird/although-the-last-enemy-might-be-death-in-long-and-sad-police/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b7/catherine-aird-59363_cain-and-abel_although-the-last-enemy-might-be-death-i_2676002.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b7/catherine-aird-59363_cain-and-abel_although-the-last-enemy-might-be-death-i_2676002.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b7/catherine-aird-59363_cain-and-abel_although-the-last-enemy-might-be-death-i_2676002.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Although the last enemy might be death, in long and sad police experience, the first enemy could usually be…” — Catherine Aird", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Catherine Aird", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-aird/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Although the last enemy might be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-aird/although-the-last-enemy-might-be-death-in-long-and-sad-police/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-aird/although-the-last-enemy-might-be-death-in-long-and-sad-police/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```