Beast Quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero
“There are two ways to resolve conflicts, through violence or through negotiation. Violence is for wild beasts, negotiation is for human beings.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: On Conflict Resolution, Cicero, 44 BC
Violence is primitive; negotiation reflects humanity and reason, offering a civilized path to settle disputes.
In simple terms: Violence is crude; talk is civilized.
Key Takeaway
Choose dialogue over force.
Themes
conflict resolution
humanity
reason
civilization
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- legal negotiations
- family arguments
- international diplomacy
- workplace disagreements
Key Concepts
philosophy
ethics
political theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What incentives can encourage parties to negotiate?
- How does power imbalance affect negotiation outcomes?
A Different Perspective
Negotiation can be slow and may fail if parties lack goodwill.
![“Things sacred should not only be touched with the hands, but unviolated in thought. [Lat., Res sacros non modo manibus attingi, sed ne cogitatione quidem violari fas fuit.]” quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/deb/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_hands_things-sacred-should-not-only-be-touched_11960.jpg)
![“No visiting angel, or explorer from another planet, could have guessed that this bland orb [Earth] teemed with vermin, with world-mastering, self-torturing, incipiently angelic beasts.” quote by Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d65/olaf-stapledon-9950_angel_no-visiting-angel-or-explorer-from-anoth_12107.jpg)
