--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If our lives are endangered by plots or…" description: "\"If our lives are endangered by plots or violence or armed robbers or enemies, any and every method of protecting ourselves is morally right.\" — Marcus ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_enemy_if-our-lives-are-endangered-by-plots-or_1238885.jpg" --- # If our lives are endangered by plots or violence or armed… ![“If our lives are endangered by plots or violence or armed robbers or enemies, any and every method of protecting ourselves is morally right.” quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_enemy_if-our-lives-are-endangered-by-plots-or_1238885.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_enemy_if-our-lives-are-endangered-by-plots-or_1238885.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_enemy_if-our-lives-are-endangered-by-plots-or_1238885.jpg) > “If our lives are endangered by plots or violence or armed robbers or enemies, any and every method of protecting ourselves is morally right.” [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Any method used to defend oneself against violent threats is ethically justified. **In simple terms:** Self‑defense is always morally permissible. Key Takeaway Defend yourself against danger. Themes ethics self‑defense violence morality Mood defensive serious Type ethical political When to use this quote - personal safety - law enforcement - conflict zones - civil unrest Key Concepts rights justice security Questions to Reflect On - When is force excessive? - What limits should protect self‑defense? A Different Perspective May justify harmful tactics; harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Protecting ourselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protecting-ourselves/) [Robbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robbers/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [There exists a law, not written down anywhere but inborn in our hearts; a law which comes to us not by training or custom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/there-exists-a-law-not-written-down-anywhere-but-inborn-in-our-hearts/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“North-South imbalances and the exploitation of men and raw materials, combined with the resignation of the peoples of the North, produce a much more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/north-south-imbalances-and-the-exploitation-of-men-and-raw-materials/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [Disarmed citizens encourage crime and violence. Armed citizens encourage criminals to find a safer line of work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/disarmed-citizens-encourage-crime-and-violence-armed-citizens/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [Perhaps there is a simple answer -- not an easy answer -- but simple: If you and I have the courage to tell our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/perhaps-there-is-a-simple-answer-not-an-easy-answer-but-simple-if-you/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“Whatsoever it is morally right for a man to do, it is morally right for a woman to do. She is clothed by her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-grimke/whatsoever-it-is-morally-right-for-a-man-to-do-it-is-morally-right-2/) Sarah Grimke > [I have no evidence that libertarianism leads to a better life. 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(Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nihil-est-incertius-vulgo-nihil-obscurius-voluntate-hominum-nihil/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The foundations of justice are that on one shall suffer wrong; then, that the public good be promoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-foundations-of-justice-are-that-on-one-shall-suffer-wrong-then/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“The life of the dead is set in the memory of the living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-life-of-the-dead-is-set-in-the-memory-of-the-living/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Pardon is granted to necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/pardon-is-granted-to-necessity/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Friendship embraces innumerable ends; turn where you will it is ever at your side; no barrier shuts it out; it is never untimely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/friendship-embraces-innumerable-ends-turn-where-you-will-it-is-ever/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [History is the witness of the times, the light of truth, the life of memory, the teacher of life, the messenger of antiquity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/history-is-the-witness-of-the-times-the-light-of-truth-the-life-of/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The Jews belong to a dark and repulsive force. One knows how numerous this clique is, how they stick together and what power they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-jews-belong-to-a-dark-and-repulsive-force-one-knows-how-numerous/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Nature has planted in our minds an insatiable longing to see the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nature-has-planted-in-our-minds-an-insatiable-longing-to-see-the-truth/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) [Explore all 1,068 Marcus Tullius Cicero quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## More Enemy quotes > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Fear is a man's worst enemy, but love is a man's most powerful weapon against anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-is-a-man-s-worst-enemy-but-love-is-a-man-s-most-powerful-weapon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... 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Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. 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Friends Preach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/enemies-teach-friends-preach/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) [Browse all 7,981 Enemy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If our lives are endangered by plots or violence or armed robbers or enemies, any and every method of protecting ourselves is morally right.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marcus Tullius Cicero" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/if-our-lives-are-endangered-by-plots-or-violence-or-armed-robbers-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enemy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/if-our-lives-are-endangered-by-plots-or-violence-or-armed-robbers-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_enemy_if-our-lives-are-endangered-by-plots-or_1238885.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_enemy_if-our-lives-are-endangered-by-plots-or_1238885.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/917/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_enemy_if-our-lives-are-endangered-by-plots-or_1238885.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If our lives are endangered by plots or violence or armed robbers or enemies, any and every method of…” — Marcus Tullius Cicero", "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": "Marcus Tullius Cicero", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If our lives are endangered by...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/if-our-lives-are-endangered-by-plots-or-violence-or-armed-robbers-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/if-our-lives-are-endangered-by-plots-or-violence-or-armed-robbers-or/#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 } } ] } ```