--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A just fear of an imminent danger, though…" description: "\"A just fear of an imminent danger, though there be no blow given, is a lawful cause of war\" — Francis Bacon Sr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cea/francis-bacon-sr-20507_danger_a-just-fear-of-an-imminent-danger-though_1332207.jpg" --- # A just fear of an imminent danger, though there be no blow… ![“A just fear of an imminent danger, though there be no blow given, is a lawful cause of war” quote by Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cea/francis-bacon-sr-20507_danger_a-just-fear-of-an-imminent-danger-though_1332207.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cea/francis-bacon-sr-20507_danger_a-just-fear-of-an-imminent-danger-though_1332207.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cea/francis-bacon-sr-20507_danger_a-just-fear-of-an-imminent-danger-though_1332207.jpg) > “A just fear of an imminent danger, though there be no blow given, is a lawful cause of war” [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A perceived threat, even without direct attack, can justify war under law. **In simple terms:** Imagined danger can legitimize war. Key Takeaway Question the basis of conflict. Themes war law perception security Mood critical analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - international relations - policy making - military planning Key Concepts political theory ethics Questions to Reflect On - Is imagined danger sufficient for war? - How to differentiate real threats from fear? A Different Perspective Legal justification can be abused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [A just fear of an imminent danger, though be no blow given, is a lawful cause of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/a-just-fear-of-an-imminent-danger-though-be-no-blow-given-is-a-lawful/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [“It seems to me that this composition has never been in more imminent danger than right now of taking on precisely the informality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/it-seems-to-me-that-this-composition-has-never-been-in-more-imminent/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [Why should one U.S. airman give up his life when our national security is not in imminent danger?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hannity/why-should-one-u-s-airman-give-up-his-life-when-our-national-security/) [Sean Hannity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hannity/) > [People don't tend to lie about themselves when they're in imminent danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hark-joon-lee/people-don-t-tend-to-lie-about-themselves-when-they-re-in-imminent/) [Hark-Joon Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hark-joon-lee/) > [My impression is the Trump administration is in imminent danger of violating the gunfighter's credo, which is 'Do not pick seven fights if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austan-goolsbee/my-impression-is-the-trump-administration-is-in-imminent-danger-of/) [Austan Goolsbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austan-goolsbee/) > [Quite possibly, what I call happiness may coincide with what others call the moment of imminent danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukio-mishima/quite-possibly-what-i-call-happiness-may-coincide-with-what-others/) [Yukio Mishima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukio-mishima/) > [There being an imminent danger for the faith, prelates must be questioned, even publicly, by their subjects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/there-being-an-imminent-danger-for-the-faith-prelates-must-be/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [Personal disintegration remains always an imminent danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lasch/personal-disintegration-remains-always-an-imminent-danger/) [Christopher Lasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lasch/) > [President Bush is manufacturing a crisis by suggesting that Social Security is in imminent danger. It is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-neal/president-bush-is-manufacturing-a-crisis-by-suggesting-that-social/) [Richard Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-neal/) > [“... this imminent danger seemed to take bodily shape, and I could almost fancy that I saw this most loathsome and dangerous of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/this-imminent-danger-seemed-to-take-bodily-shape-and-i-could-almost/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [I think it's just fear of death. I can't bear to go to sleep. 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Let all the ends thou aim'st at be thy country's, Thy God's and truth's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/be-just-and-fear-not-let-all-the-ends-thou-aim-st-at-be-thy-country-s/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Imitation is just the fear of bringing out ur creative self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niidoodo/imitation-is-just-the-fear-of-bringing-out-ur-creative-self/) Niidoodo > [The unknown used to be really scary, just that fear of, 'What's next? What if I'm not prepared?' I just don't feel that way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-moore/the-unknown-used-to-be-really-scary-just-that-fear-of-what-s-next/) [Mandy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-moore/) ## More by Francis Bacon Sr > [To choose time is to save time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/to-choose-time-is-to-save-time/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [God Almighty first planted a garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/god-almighty-first-planted-a-garden/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [This delivering of knowledge in distinct and disjointed aphorisms doth leave the wit of man more free to turn and toss, and to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/this-delivering-of-knowledge-in-distinct-and-disjointed-aphorisms/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [The wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/the-wise-man-will-make-more-opportunities-than-he-finds/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [There is superstition in avoiding superstitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/there-is-superstition-in-avoiding-superstitions/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/if-a-man-be-gracious-and-courteous-to-strangers-it-shows-he-is-a-2/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [Young men are fitter to invent than to judge, fitter for execution than for counsel, and fitter for new projects than for settled business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/young-men-are-fitter-to-invent-than-to-judge-fitter-for-execution/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [The mould of a man's fortune is in his own hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/the-mould-of-a-man-s-fortune-is-in-his-own-hands/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [The best preservative to keep the mind on health is the faithful admonition of a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/the-best-preservative-to-keep-the-mind-on-health-is-the-faithful/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [He that defers his charity until he is dead is, if a man weighs it rightly, rather liberal of another man's goods than his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/he-that-defers-his-charity-until-he-is-dead-is-if-a-man-weighs-it/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [The desire for power in excess caused angels to fall; the desire for knowledge in excess caused man to fall; but in charity is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/the-desire-for-power-in-excess-caused-angels-to-fall-the-desire-for/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes; and adversity is not without comforts and hopes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/prosperity-is-not-without-many-fears-and-distastes-and-adversity-is/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [Fortune his like the market, where many times, if you can stay a little, the price will fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/fortune-his-like-the-market-where-many-times-if-you-can-stay-a-little/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [They that deny a God destroy man's nobility, for certainly man is of kin to the beasts by his body; and if he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/they-that-deny-a-god-destroy-man-s-nobility-for-certainly-man-is-of/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) > [Nature is a labyrinth in which the very haste you move with will make you lose your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon-sr/nature-is-a-labyrinth-in-which-the-very-haste-you-move-with-will-make/) [Francis Bacon Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) [Explore all 30 Francis Bacon Sr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon-sr/) ## More Danger quotes > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [“Anything you fear is a shackle to ur soul. 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This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/) [Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/) > [A sea setting us upon the ice has brought us close to danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hudson/a-sea-setting-us-upon-the-ice-has-brought-us-close-to-danger/) [Henry Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hudson/) > [“You are a lawmaker in your own right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-are-a-lawmaker-in-your-own-right/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [There's a danger in starting a fire, you'll never know how many bridges you'll burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-a-danger-in-starting-a-fire-you-ll-never-know-how-many/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This is the gift of your species and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. 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