--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was a coward and a slave. I say this…" description: "\"“I was a coward and a slave. I say this without the slightest embarrassment. Every decent man of our age must be a coward and a slave.”\" — Fyodor Dosto..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_coward_i-was-a-coward-and-a-slave-i-say-this-wi_116350.jpg" --- # I was a coward and a slave. I say this without the… ![“I was a coward and a slave. I say this without the slightest embarrassment. Every decent man of our age must be a coward and a slave.” quote by Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_coward_i-was-a-coward-and-a-slave-i-say-this-wi_116350.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_coward_i-was-a-coward-and-a-slave-i-say-this-wi_116350.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_coward_i-was-a-coward-and-a-slave-i-say-this-wi_116350.jpg) > ““I was a coward and a slave. I say this without the slightest embarrassment. Every decent man of our age must be a coward and a slave.”” [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker confesses personal cowardice and servitude, then generalizes that every decent man of the era must share these traits, suggesting a pervasive moral compromise. **In simple terms:** All decent men are, in some way, cowardly and enslaved. Key Takeaway Societal pressures foster moral compromise. Themes self‑reflection morality societal critique human frailty Mood melancholic candid Type confessional philosophical When to use this quote - political oppression - social conformity - personal guilt Key Concepts existential angst Practical Applications - recognize personal compromises - cultivate moral courage Questions to Reflect On - What defines 'decent' in a corrupt society? - Can one be both decent and courageous? A Different Perspective The blanket statement may overlook individuals who resist conformity and act bravely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) ## Related quotes > [Every decent man of our age must be a coward and a slave. That is his normal condition. Of that I am firmly persuaded.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-decent-man-of-our-age-must-be-a-coward-and-a-slave-that-is-his/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is a law of nature that every decent man on earth is bound to be a coward and a slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-law-of-nature-that-every-decent-man-on-earth-is-bound-to-be-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Every decent man of our time is and is bound to be a coward and a slave. This is his normal condition. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/every-decent-man-of-our-time-is-and-is-bound-to-be-a-coward-and-a/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [People do not give it credence that a fourteen-year-old girl could leave home and go off in the wintertime to avenge her father's blood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/people-do-not-give-it-credence-that-a-fourteen-year-old-girl-could/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [“Is there for honest Poverty That hings his head, an' a' that; The coward slave-we pass him by, We dare be poor for a'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/is-there-for-honest-poverty-that-hings-his-head-an-a-that-the-coward/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [“CLYTEMNESTRA What ails thee, raising this ado for us? SLAVE I say the dead are come to slay the living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/clytemnestra-what-ails-thee-raising-this-ado-for-us-slave-i-say-the/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [“For that particular community, for my community, the message has long been clear: The Civil War is a story for white people—acted out by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/for-that-particular-community-for-my-community-the-message-has-long/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [“Don’t,’ he said, ‘talk about it like—’ ‘Like?’ ‘Like it was cold-blooded; like I controlled it. Like we didn’t both close our eyes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-pacat/don-t-he-said-talk-about-it-like-like-like-it-was-cold-blooded-like-i/) [C.S. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-pacat/) > [“We make her paint her face and dance If she won't be a slave, we say that she don't love us If she's real,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-make-her-paint-her-face-and-dance-if-she-won-t-be-a-slave-we-say/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [“A developed and decent man cannot be vain without a boundless exactingness towards himself and without despising himself at moments to the point of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/a-developed-and-decent-man-cannot-be-vain-without-a-boundless/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“As always, I do not blame anyone. I've tried great debauchery and exhausted my strength in it; but I don't like debauchery and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/as-always-i-do-not-blame-anyone-i-ve-tried-great-debauchery-and/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“There are certain things in a man's past which he does not divulge to everybody but, perhaps, only to his friends. Again there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/there-are-certain-things-in-a-man-s-past-which-he-does-not-divulge-to/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“God preserve you, my dear boy, from ever asking forgiveness for a fault from a woman you love. From one you love especially, however…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/god-preserve-you-my-dear-boy-from-ever-asking-forgiveness-for-a-fault/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [What can ennoble sots, or slaves, or cowards? Alas! not all the blood, of all the Howards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/what-can-ennoble-sots-or-slaves-or-cowards-alas-not-all-the-blood-of/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [“Your slave and enemy, D.Karamazov”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/your-slave-and-enemy-d-karamazov/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) ## More by Fyodor Dostoyevsky > [“Beauty is not only a terrible thing, it is also a mysterious thing. There God and the Devil strive for mastery, and the battleground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/beauty-is-not-only-a-terrible-thing-it-is-also-a-mysterious-thing/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“Listen! I know it's not right to talk. Better to set an example, better to just start - I have already started - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/listen-i-know-it-s-not-right-to-talk-better-to-set-an-example-better/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“When all are undressed, one is somehow not ashamed, but when one's the only one undressed and everybody is looking, it's degrading,' he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/when-all-are-undressed-one-is-somehow-not-ashamed-but-when-one-s-the/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“And what if there are only spiders there, or something of that sort”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/and-what-if-there-are-only-spiders-there-or-something-of-that-sort/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“The morning was so damp and misty”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/the-morning-was-so-damp-and-misty/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“I repeat, I repeat with emphasis: all "direct" persons and men of action are active just because they are stupid and limited. How explain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-repeat-i-repeat-with-emphasis-all-direct-persons-and-men-of-action/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“He is a man of intelligence, but to act sensibly, intelligence is not enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/he-is-a-man-of-intelligence-but-to-act-sensibly-intelligence-is-not/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [ “if \[God\] doesn't exist, man is the chief of the earth, of the universe. Magnificent! Only how is he going to be good without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/if-god-doesn-t-exist-man-is-the-chief-of-the-earth-of-the-universe/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“From an encounter in 1862... “Dickens told me,” Dostoyevsky recalled in a letter written years later, “that all the good, simple people in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/from-an-encounter-in-1862-dickens-told-me-dostoyevsky-recalled-in-a/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“It must be the top drawer," he reflected. "So she carries the keys in a pocket on the right. All in one bunch on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/it-must-be-the-top-drawer-he-reflected-so-she-carries-the-keys-in-a/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“- You take evil for good. It's a passing crisis. It's the result of your illness, perhaps. - You do despise me! It's simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/you-take-evil-for-good-it-s-a-passing-crisis-it-s-the-result-of-your/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“Clouds overlaid the sky as with a shroud of mist, and everything looked sad, rainy, and threatening under a fine drizzle which was beating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/clouds-overlaid-the-sky-as-with-a-shroud-of-mist-and-everything/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“People who can speak well, speak briefly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/people-who-can-speak-well-speak-briefly/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“I think I could stand anything, any suffering, only to be able to say and to repeat to myself every moment, 'I exist.' In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-think-i-could-stand-anything-any-suffering-only-to-be-able-to-say/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“There is no more ceaseless or tormenting care for man, as long as he remains free, than to find someone to bow down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/there-is-no-more-ceaseless-or-tormenting-care-for-man-as-long-as-he/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) [Explore all 1,078 Fyodor Dostoyevsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) ## More Coward quotes > [Only a coward will use a gun to protect and get respect for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-jal/only-a-coward-will-use-a-gun-to-protect-and-get-respect-for-themselves/) [Emmanuel Jal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-jal/) > [“The Coward will run away from danger, only to strike in the dark. The Heroine will run through the dark, even though she knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-cleinman/the-coward-will-run-away-from-danger-only-to-strike-in-the-dark-the/) David A. Cleinman > [“A thousand times a coward and not once a dead man”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suad-amiry/a-thousand-times-a-coward-and-not-once-a-dead-man/) Suad Amiry > [Boasting and bravado may exist in the breast even of the coward, if he is successful through a mere lucky hit; but a just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/boasting-and-bravado-may-exist-in-the-breast-even-of-the-coward-if-he/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [“It is true that only a coward can be brave, as a man who feels no fear has conquered nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-david-iggulden/it-is-true-that-only-a-coward-can-be-brave-as-a-man-who-feels-no-fear/) Conn & David Iggulden > [If you're a generous person, when you get money and fame, you're going to be more generous. If you're a sharer, you're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/if-you-re-a-generous-person-when-you-get-money-and-fame-you-re-going/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [Where is the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land as Scotland?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/where-is-the-coward-that-would-not-dare-to-fight-for-such-a-land-as/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [“To stand at the very moment when all seems lost is the point of insanity for the coward, but it is the home of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-stand-at-the-very-moment-when-all-seems-lost-is-the-point-of/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [My advice to you, if you should ever be in a hold up, is to line up with the cowards and save your bravery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-henry/my-advice-to-you-if-you-should-ever-be-in-a-hold-up-is-to-line-up/) [O. Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-henry/) > [People who keep dogs are cowards who haven't got the guts to bite people themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/people-who-keep-dogs-are-cowards-who-haven-t-got-the-guts-to-bite/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [It is the disease of cowards, who do not have the courage to speak upfront and so talk behind one's back... Watch out against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/it-is-the-disease-of-cowards-who-do-not-have-the-courage-to-speak/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [If our principles are right, why should we be cowards?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretia-mott/if-our-principles-are-right-why-should-we-be-cowards/) [Lucretia Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretia-mott/) > [I found from working on the film that I am a bigot, at times. And that I am also a coward, at times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-howard/i-found-from-working-on-the-film-that-i-am-a-bigot-at-times-and-that/) [Terrence Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-howard/) > [A coward is the kindest animal; 'Tis the most forgiving creature in a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/a-coward-is-the-kindest-animal-tis-the-most-forgiving-creature-in-a/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) Browse all 1,331 Coward quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I was a coward and a slave. I say this without the slightest embarrassment. Every decent man of our age must be a coward and a slave.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fyodor Dostoyevsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-was-a-coward-and-a-slave-i-say-this-without-the-slightest/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coward" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-was-a-coward-and-a-slave-i-say-this-without-the-slightest/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_coward_i-was-a-coward-and-a-slave-i-say-this-wi_116350.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_coward_i-was-a-coward-and-a-slave-i-say-this-wi_116350.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_coward_i-was-a-coward-and-a-slave-i-say-this-wi_116350.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was a coward and a slave. I say this without the slightest embarrassment. Every decent man of our age must…” — Fyodor Dostoyevsky", "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": "Fyodor Dostoyevsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I was a coward and a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-was-a-coward-and-a-slave-i-say-this-without-the-slightest/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-was-a-coward-and-a-slave-i-say-this-without-the-slightest/#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 } } ] } ```