--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We hold there is no worse enemy to a…" description: "\"“We hold there is no worse enemy to a state than he who keeps the law in his own hands.”\" — Edith Hamilton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/edith-hamilton-7366_democracy_we-hold-there-is-no-worse-enemy-to-a-sta_686800.jpg" --- # We hold there is no worse enemy to a state than he who… ![“We hold there is no worse enemy to a state than he who keeps the law in his own hands.” quote by Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/edith-hamilton-7366_democracy_we-hold-there-is-no-worse-enemy-to-a-sta_686800.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/edith-hamilton-7366_democracy_we-hold-there-is-no-worse-enemy-to-a-sta_686800.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/edith-hamilton-7366_democracy_we-hold-there-is-no-worse-enemy-to-a-sta_686800.jpg) > ““We hold there is no worse enemy to a state than he who keeps the law in his own hands.”” [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that when individuals enforce law themselves, they become dangerous tyrants to the state. **In simple terms:** Self‑appointed law enforcers threaten society. Key Takeaway Beware of vigilante justice. Themes law authority state justice Mood cautious serious Type political ethical When to use this quote - political reform - community safety - legal systems - civil rights Key Concepts tyranny power legitimacy Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance order and freedom? - When is personal enforcement justified? A Different Perspective Legal frameworks may be slow or ineffective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ## Related quotes > [And queenly is the state she keeps, In beauty's lofty trust secure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-allen-butler/and-queenly-is-the-state-she-keeps-in-beauty-s-lofty-trust-secure/) William Allen Butler > [And through the heat of conflict keeps the law In calmness made, and sees what he foresaw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/and-through-the-heat-of-conflict-keeps-the-law-in-calmness-made-and/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Nothing keeps. There is one law in the universe: NOW.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-sutro/nothing-keeps-there-is-one-law-in-the-universe-now/) Alfred Sutro > [Let us not be carried away by the undisguised agitations of leaders who virtually asked people to take the law into their own hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-marcos/let-us-not-be-carried-away-by-the-undisguised-agitations-of-leaders/) [Ferdinand Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-marcos/) > [There are many who condemn my crew and I for taking the law into our own hands and for taking on the barons of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/there-are-many-who-condemn-my-crew-and-i-for-taking-the-law-into-our/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [“Our government says people must not take law in their own hands, But has given the law in the hands of people who in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/our-government-says-people-must-not-take-law-in-their-own-hands-but/) De philosopher DJ Kyos > [There have to be consequences for police who take the law into their own hands. There has to be a shift in the use-of-force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/there-have-to-be-consequences-for-police-who-take-the-law-into-their/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [“Anyone shall take law in their hands, but not a judge and I call it as professional ethics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/anyone-shall-take-law-in-their-hands-but-not-a-judge-and-i-call-it-as/) [P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/) > [“All the law is not in the hands of Giant Despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-the-law-is-not-in-the-hands-of-giant-despair/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In 'Maatr,' we do not justify taking the law into our hands. That's not the right thing to do. We are not promoting that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raveena-tandon/in-maatr-we-do-not-justify-taking-the-law-into-our-hands-that-s-not/) [Raveena Tandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raveena-tandon/) > [“Taking the law into your own hands, fuck what's wrong with that?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/taking-the-law-into-your-own-hands-fuck-what-s-wrong-with-that/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Whenever men take the law into their own hands, the loser is the law. And when the law loses, freedom languishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/whenever-men-take-the-law-into-their-own-hands-the-loser-is-the-law/) [Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/) > [Judges who take the law into their own hands, who make up constitutional 'rights' in order to strike down laws they oppose, undermine the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-hatch/judges-who-take-the-law-into-their-own-hands-who-make-up/) [Orrin Hatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-hatch/) > [We must not be guilty of taking the law into our own hands, and converting it from what it really is to what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/we-must-not-be-guilty-of-taking-the-law-into-our-own-hands-and/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [“It is best to keep one’s own state intact; to crush the enemy’s state is only second best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-best-to-keep-one-s-own-state-intact-to-crush-the-enemy-s-state/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) ## More by Edith Hamilton > [Poetry and preaching do not go well together; when the preacher mounts the pulpit the poet usually goes away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/poetry-and-preaching-do-not-go-well-together-when-the-preacher-mounts/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [When faith is supported by facts or by logic it ceases to be faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/when-faith-is-supported-by-facts-or-by-logic-it-ceases-to-be-faith/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [Ages of faith and of unbelief are always said to mark the course of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/ages-of-faith-and-of-unbelief-are-always-said-to-mark-the-course-of/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [None so good that he has no faults, None so wicked that he is worth naught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/none-so-good-that-he-has-no-faults-none-so-wicked-that-he-is-worth/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [To be able to be caught up into the world of thought-that is educated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/to-be-able-to-be-caught-up-into-the-world-of-thought-that-is-educated/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [Convention, so often a mask for injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/convention-so-often-a-mask-for-injustice/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [Myths are early science, the result of men's first trying to explain what they saw around them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/myths-are-early-science-the-result-of-men-s-first-trying-to-explain/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [A people's literature is the great textbook for real knowledge of them. The writings of the day show the quality of the people as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/a-people-s-literature-is-the-great-textbook-for-real-knowledge-of/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [“He drew iron tears down Pluto's cheek and make Hell grant what Love did seek. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/he-drew-iron-tears-down-pluto-s-cheek-and-make-hell-grant-what-love/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [Mind and spirit together make up that which separates us from the rest of the animal world, that which enables a man to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/mind-and-spirit-together-make-up-that-which-separates-us-from-the/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [It has always seemed strange to me that in our endless discussions about education so little stress is laid on the pleasure of becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/it-has-always-seemed-strange-to-me-that-in-our-endless-discussions/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [When we speak of beauty, we're speaking of something we're more or less indifferent to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/when-we-speak-of-beauty-we-re-speaking-of-something-we-re-more-or/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [Love, however, cannot be forbidden. The more that flame is covered up, the hotter it burns. Also love can always find a way. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/love-however-cannot-be-forbidden-the-more-that-flame-is-covered-up/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [In theology the conservative temper tends to formalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/in-theology-the-conservative-temper-tends-to-formalism/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [The Old Testament is the record of men's conviction that God speaks directly to men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/the-old-testament-is-the-record-of-men-s-conviction-that-god-speaks/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) [Explore all 92 Edith Hamilton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We hold there is no worse enemy to a state than he who keeps the law in his own hands.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edith Hamilton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/we-hold-there-is-no-worse-enemy-to-a-state-than-he-who-keeps-the-law/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/we-hold-there-is-no-worse-enemy-to-a-state-than-he-who-keeps-the-law/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/edith-hamilton-7366_democracy_we-hold-there-is-no-worse-enemy-to-a-sta_686800.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/edith-hamilton-7366_democracy_we-hold-there-is-no-worse-enemy-to-a-sta_686800.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/edith-hamilton-7366_democracy_we-hold-there-is-no-worse-enemy-to-a-sta_686800.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We hold there is no worse enemy to a state than he who keeps the law in his own hands.” — Edith Hamilton", "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": "Edith Hamilton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We hold there is no worse...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/we-hold-there-is-no-worse-enemy-to-a-state-than-he-who-keeps-the-law/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/we-hold-there-is-no-worse-enemy-to-a-state-than-he-who-keeps-the-law/#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 } } ] } ```