---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even the bravest men fear death and maiming"
description: "\"“Even the bravest men fear death and maiming”\" — George R.R. Martin"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/george-r-r-martin-48_bravest_even-the-bravest-men-fear-death-and-maim_2434198.png"
---

#  Even the bravest men fear death and maiming

![“Even the bravest men fear death and maiming” quote by George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/george-r-r-martin-48_bravest_even-the-bravest-men-fear-death-and-maim_2434198.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/george-r-r-martin-48_bravest_even-the-bravest-men-fear-death-and-maim_2434198.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/george-r-r-martin-48_bravest_even-the-bravest-men-fear-death-and-maim_2434198.png)

> ““Even the bravest men fear death and maiming””

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Even the bravest fear death and injury, showing that courage does not eliminate fear.

**In simple terms:** Courage coexists with fear.

Key Takeaway

Accept fear as a natural companion.

Themes

courage fear mortality vulnerability

Mood

tense serious

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- combat training
- risk assessment
- leadership development
- personal growth

Key Concepts

psychology heroism human condition

Questions to Reflect On

- What fears do you hide behind bravery?
- How can you turn fear into focus?

A Different Perspective

Fear can paralyze if not managed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/)

## Related quotes

> [The bravest men are subject most to chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/the-bravest-men-are-subject-most-to-chance/)

[John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/)

> [“To fear death, gentlemen, is no other than to think oneself wise when one is not, to think one knows what one does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/to-fear-death-gentlemen-is-no-other-than-to-think-oneself-wise-when/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [“To fear death, gentlemen, is no other than to think oneself wise when one is not, to think one knows what one does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/to-fear-death-gentlemen-is-no-other-than-to-think-oneself-wise-when-2/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased with tales, so is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/men-fear-death-as-children-fear-to-go-in-the-dark-and-as-that-natural/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [What men fear is not that death is annihilation but that it is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/what-men-fear-is-not-that-death-is-annihilation-but-that-it-is-not/)

[Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/)

> [An army's bravest men are its cowards. The death which they would not meet at the hands of the enemy they will meet at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/an-army-s-bravest-men-are-its-cowards-the-death-which-they-would-not/)

[Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/)

> [True courage is cool and calm. The bravest of men have the least of a brutal, bullying insolence, and in the very time of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ashley-cooper-7th-earl-of-shaftesbury/true-courage-is-cool-and-calm-the-bravest-of-men-have-the-least-of-a/)

[Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ashley-cooper-7th-earl-of-shaftesbury/)

> [The agricultural population, says Cato, produces the bravest men, the most valiant soldiers, and a class of citizens the least given of all too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/the-agricultural-population-says-cato-produces-the-bravest-men-the/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [Even the bravest men are frightened by sudden terrors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-the-bravest-men-are-frightened-by-sudden-terrors/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The agricultural population produces the bravest men, the most valiant soldiers,46 and a class of citizens the least given of all to evil designs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/the-agricultural-population-produces-the-bravest-men-the-most-valiant/)

[Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/)

> [In school, we learned about the Birkebeinerne as some of the bravest men. And these two guys saving the Norwegian king... There's a kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristofer-hivju/in-school-we-learned-about-the-birkebeinerne-as-some-of-the-bravest/)

[Kristofer Hivju](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristofer-hivju/)

> [“The average woman is far braver than the average man. The common kind of courage-that of the soldier who disregards the danger of death-belongs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-b-douglas/the-average-woman-is-far-braver-than-the-average-man-the-common-kind/)

[Alfred B. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-b-douglas/)

> [The reason some men fear older women is they fear their own mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-lear/the-reason-some-men-fear-older-women-is-they-fear-their-own-mortality/)

Frances Lear

> [And as to being in a fright, Allow me to remark That Ghosts have just as good a right In every way, to fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/and-as-to-being-in-a-fright-allow-me-to-remark-that-ghosts-have-just/)

[Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/)

> [“What all men fear is indeed to be feared;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/what-all-men-fear-is-indeed-to-be-feared/)

[Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/)

## More by George R.R. Martin

> [“Neither's the one you get, less you want me to see if your apple's ripe, yet. - Yoren”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/neither-s-the-one-you-get-less-you-want-me-to-see-if-your-apple-s/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“You are the queen, he ought to be begging leave of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/you-are-the-queen-he-ought-to-be-begging-leave-of-you/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“It is my look they will flinch from now, my frown that they must fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/it-is-my-look-they-will-flinch-from-now-my-frown-that-they-must-fear/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“A good threat is often more telling than a blow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-good-threat-is-often-more-telling-than-a-blow/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“This wine is very choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/this-wine-is-very-choice/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Everything Syrio Forel had ever taught her vanished in a heartbeat. In that instant of sudden terror, the only lesson Arya could remember was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/everything-syrio-forel-had-ever-taught-her-vanished-in-a-heartbeat-in/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Megga couldn’t sing, but she was mad to be kissed. She and Alla played a kissing game sometimes, she confessed, but it wasn’t the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/megga-couldn-t-sing-but-she-was-mad-to-be-kissed-she-and-alla-played/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“The rain feels good against my face, Sam. It feels like tears. Let me stay a while longer, I pray you. It has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-rain-feels-good-against-my-face-sam-it-feels-like-tears-let-me/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Every man who walks the earth casts a shadow on the world. Some are thin and weak, others long and dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/every-man-who-walks-the-earth-casts-a-shadow-on-the-world-some-are/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“The shy girl she had known at Riverrun had grown into a woman who was by turns proud, fearful, cruel, dreamy, reckless, timid, stubborn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-shy-girl-she-had-known-at-riverrun-had-grown-into-a-woman-who-was/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“He won the war on the battlefield and lost it in a bedchamber, poor fool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/he-won-the-war-on-the-battlefield-and-lost-it-in-a-bedchamber-poor/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“On the morning after battle the crows had feasted on victors and vanquished alike. How much can a crown be worth when a crow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/on-the-morning-after-battle-the-crows-had-feasted-on-victors-and/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“The little man gave the big one a look. One of his eyes was green, one was black, and both were cool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-little-man-gave-the-big-one-a-look-one-of-his-eyes-was-green-one/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Jon, could there be honor in a lie, if it were told for a...good purpose? - Samwell”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/jon-could-there-be-honor-in-a-lie-if-it-were-told-for-a-good-purpose/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“My mother said my father had a drop of dragon blood.” “Two drops. That, or a cock six feet long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/my-mother-said-my-father-had-a-drop-of-dragon-blood-two-drops-that-or/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

[Explore all 1,761 George R.R. Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

## More Bravest quotes

> [One of the bravest things you can do is acknowledge and support the strength of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/one-of-the-bravest-things-you-can-do-is-acknowledge-and-support-the/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [The bravest sight in all this world is a man fighting against odds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-knight-lane/the-bravest-sight-in-all-this-world-is-a-man-fighting-against-odds/)

[Franklin Knight Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-knight-lane/)

> [“The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/the-bravest-are-surely-those-who-have-the-clearest-vision-of-what-is/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [“Moroccan traffic isn't like normal traffic. It's armed combat, a war of wills, in which only the very bravest have a chance to survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-shah/moroccan-traffic-isn-t-like-normal-traffic-it-s-armed-combat-a-war-of/)

[Tahir Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-shah/)

> [Most people aren't appreciated enough, and the bravest things we do in our lives are usually known only to ourselves. No one throws ticker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-noonan/most-people-aren-t-appreciated-enough-and-the-bravest-things-we-do-in/)

[Peggy Noonan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-noonan/)

> [It's when you're acting selflessly that you are at your bravest." --Four in Divergent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/it-s-when-you-re-acting-selflessly-that-you-are-at-your-bravest-four/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [The bravest men are subject most to chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/the-bravest-men-are-subject-most-to-chance/)

[John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/)

> [“Asking Wolf to couples' skate is like bungee jumping without a cord-it may be the bravest thing I've ever done in my life. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alecia-whitaker/asking-wolf-to-couples-skate-is-like-bungee-jumping-without-a-cord-it/)

[Alecia Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alecia-whitaker/)

> [The best hearts are ever the bravest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/the-best-hearts-are-ever-the-bravest/)

[Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/)

> [Even the bravest cannot fight beyond his power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/even-the-bravest-cannot-fight-beyond-his-power/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [The bravest are the tenderest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/the-bravest-are-the-tenderest/)

[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/)

> [“I think the bravest people are not the ones brave enough to die. But the ones brave enough to live. And living is different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-celia/i-think-the-bravest-people-are-not-the-ones-brave-enough-to-die-but/)

Audrey Celia

> [“The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grossman/the-bravest-are-surely-those-who-have-the-clearest-vision-of-what-is-2/)

Dave Grossman

> [“What's the bravest thing you ever did? He spat in the road a bloody phlegm. Getting up this morning, he said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/what-s-the-bravest-thing-you-ever-did-he-spat-in-the-road-a-bloody/)

[Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/)

> [“The bravest are the most vulnerable; they are also the ones most capable of reward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-sorenson/the-bravest-are-the-most-vulnerable-they-are-also-the-ones-most/)

[Toni Sorenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-sorenson/)

Browse all 136 Bravest quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Even the bravest men fear death and maiming”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "George R.R. Martin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/even-the-bravest-men-fear-death-and-maiming/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bravest"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/even-the-bravest-men-fear-death-and-maiming/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/george-r-r-martin-48_bravest_even-the-bravest-men-fear-death-and-maim_2434198.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/george-r-r-martin-48_bravest_even-the-bravest-men-fear-death-and-maim_2434198.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/george-r-r-martin-48_bravest_even-the-bravest-men-fear-death-and-maim_2434198.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Even the bravest men fear death and maiming” — George R.R. Martin",
                "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": "George R.R. Martin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Even the bravest men fear death...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/even-the-bravest-men-fear-death-and-maiming/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/even-the-bravest-men-fear-death-and-maiming/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```