Absence Quote by Francois Rabelais
“According to true military art, one should never push one's enemy to the point of despair, because such a state multiplies his strength and increases his courage which had already been crushed and failing, and because there is no better remedy for the health of beaten and overwhelmed men than the absence of all hope.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Pantagruel by François Rabelais, 1532
Excessive despair weakens enemies, but removing hope can also strip them of courage, creating a paradoxical balance.
In simple terms: Hope and despair affect strength.
Key Takeaway
Consider psychological impact of morale.
Themes
war
psychology
strategy
Mood
serious
reflective
Type
philosophical
historical
When to use this quote
- military planning
- leadership training
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
motivation
despair
courage
Questions to Reflect On
- Is hope always beneficial?
- How does morale influence combat effectiveness?
A Different Perspective
Ethical concerns about manipulating hope.
![“[During the 20th century] ... 170 million men, women, and children have been shot, beaten, tortured, knifed, burned, starved, frozen, crushed, or worked to death; buried alive, drowned, hung, bombed, or killed in any other of the myriad ways governments have inflicted death on unarmed, helpless…” quote by Rudolph Rummel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b6c/rudolph-rummel-42992_20th-century_during-the-20th-century-170-million-men_1655922.jpg)
![“I recognize in [my readers] a specific form and individual property, which our predecessors called Pantagruelism, by means of which they never take anything the wrong way that they know to stem from good, honest and loyal hearts.” quote by Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/624/francois-rabelais-2038_books_i-recognize-in-my-readers-a-specific-for_74622.jpg)
