--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am not a coward, but I am so strong. So…" description: "\"I am not a coward, but I am so strong. So hard to die.\" — Meriwether Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/meriwether-lewis-28817_coward_i-am-not-a-coward-but-i-am-so-strong-so_1680784.jpg" --- # I am not a coward, but I am so strong. So hard to die. ![“I am not a coward, but I am so strong. So hard to die.” quote by Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/meriwether-lewis-28817_coward_i-am-not-a-coward-but-i-am-so-strong-so_1680784.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/meriwether-lewis-28817_coward_i-am-not-a-coward-but-i-am-so-strong-so_1680784.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/meriwether-lewis-28817_coward_i-am-not-a-coward-but-i-am-so-strong-so_1680784.jpg) > “I am not a coward, but I am so strong. So hard to die.” [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) ## 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 claims bravery yet feels an overwhelming strength that makes death seem undesirable. **In simple terms:** Strong but fearing death. Key Takeaway Balance courage with acceptance of mortality. Themes courage strength mortality Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - risk‑taking - leadership - personal resilience Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does strength affect your view of death? - Is fear of death a sign of vitality? A Different Perspective Strength can become a burden if it prevents letting go. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coward/) [Coward Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coward-strong-956383/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Last words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-words/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Strong Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-hard-956384/) ## Related quotes > [I am no coward; but I am so strong, so hard to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/i-am-no-coward-but-i-am-so-strong-so-hard-to-die/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) > [Meriwether Lewis's last words were, 'I am not a coward, but I am so strong. So hard to die.' I don't doubt that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/meriwether-lewis-s-last-words-were-i-am-not-a-coward-but-i-am-so/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [People think I'm strong as hard as I look. But I've a very sensitive side and need to be loved by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigitte-nielsen/people-think-i-m-strong-as-hard-as-i-look-but-i-ve-a-very-sensitive/) [Brigitte Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigitte-nielsen/) > [Once we decided to be in this industry, we have to be ready for everything. You have to be strong but hard working. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sridevi/once-we-decided-to-be-in-this-industry-we-have-to-be-ready-for/) [Sridevi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sridevi/) > [The guys today are just too strong and back then they would take many hard punches to land one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/the-guys-today-are-just-too-strong-and-back-then-they-would-take-many/) [Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/) > [Love is very strong it's hard to beat it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenyetta/love-is-very-strong-it-s-hard-to-beat-it/) [Kenyetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenyetta/) > [Stay STRONG through hard times. I promise you at the worst, it can only get BETTER.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stay-strong-through-hard-times-i-promise-you-at-the-worst-it-can-only/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Being strong was hard work, and I was ready to let someone else be strong for a little bit. Not forever, but for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-isabella/being-strong-was-hard-work-and-i-was-ready-to-let-someone-else-be/) [J.C. Isabella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-isabella/) > [“Though Isengard be strong and hard, as cold as stone and bare as bone, We go, we go, we go to war, to hew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/though-isengard-be-strong-and-hard-as-cold-as-stone-and-bare-as-bone/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [It’s as easy as we choose to make it,” he murmured, pressing his forehead to mine. “At least, this decision is. Nothing’s truly easy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/it-s-as-easy-as-we-choose-to-make-it-he-murmured-pressing-his/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Building great public schools and universities, a strong health care system, including keeping the Affordable Care Act, and then an economy that works well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-castro/building-great-public-schools-and-universities-a-strong-health-care/) [Joaquin Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-castro/) > [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/) [Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/) > [No matter how strong the storm, how hard the rain and how vicious the wind there is always a gap in the clouds for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-greenhalgh/no-matter-how-strong-the-storm-how-hard-the-rain-and-how-vicious-the/) [Ben Greenhalgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-greenhalgh/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [“He put his forehead against hers. “Alannah, my heart is yours.” He said softly. “And yet, I must hand it over to someone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-morin/he-put-his-forehead-against-hers-alannah-my-heart-is-yours-he-said/) [B.C. Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-morin/) ## More by Meriwether Lewis > [As we passed on, it seemed those scenes of visionary enchantment would never have an end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/as-we-passed-on-it-seemed-those-scenes-of-visionary-enchantment-would/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) > [The weather was fine and moderate. The hunters all returned, having killed during their absence three elk, four deer, two porcupines, a fox and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/the-weather-was-fine-and-moderate-the-hunters-all-returned-having/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) > [On the acquisition of Louisiana, in the year 1803, the attention of the government of the United States, was early directed towards exploring and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/on-the-acquisition-of-louisiana-in-the-year-1803-the-attention-of-the/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) > [“I could but esteem this moment of my departure as among the most happy of my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/i-could-but-esteem-this-moment-of-my-departure-as-among-the-most/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) > [Great numbers of the Indians pass our camp on their hunting excursions: the day was clear and pleasant, but last night was very cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/great-numbers-of-the-indians-pass-our-camp-on-their-hunting/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) > [We were also fortunate enough to engage in our service a Canadian Frenchmen, who had been with the Chayenne Indians on the Black mountains,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/we-were-also-fortunate-enough-to-engage-in-our-service-a-canadian/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) > [Captain Clarke who had gone out yesterday with eighteen men to bring in the meat we had killed the day before, and to continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/captain-clarke-who-had-gone-out-yesterday-with-eighteen-men-to-bring/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) > [The day cold and fair with a high easterly wind: we were visited by two Indians who gave us an account of the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/the-day-cold-and-fair-with-a-high-easterly-wind-we-were-visited-by/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) > [I am no coward; but I am so strong, so hard to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/i-am-no-coward-but-i-am-so-strong-so-hard-to-die/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) > [A clear cold morning with high wind: we caught in a trap a large gray wolf, and last night obtained in the same way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/a-clear-cold-morning-with-high-wind-we-caught-in-a-trap-a-large-gray/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) > [The musquetos continue to infest us in such manner that we can scarcely exist. My dog even howls with the torture he experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/the-musquetos-continue-to-infest-us-in-such-manner-that-we-can/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) > [We procured from an Indian a weasel perfectly white except the extremity of the tail which was black: great numbers of wild geese are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/we-procured-from-an-indian-a-weasel-perfectly-white-except-the/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) > [A woman brought her child with an abscess in the lower part of the back, and offered as much corn as she could carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/a-woman-brought-her-child-with-an-abscess-in-the-lower-part-of-the/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) > [The weather became so intensely cold that we sent for all the hunters who had remained out with captain Clarke's party, and they returned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/the-weather-became-so-intensely-cold-that-we-sent-for-all-the-hunters/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) > [As I have always held it a crime to anticipate evils, I will believe it a good comfortable road until I am compelled to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meriwether-lewis/as-i-have-always-held-it-a-crime-to-anticipate-evils-i-will-believe-2/) [Meriwether Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) [Explore all 19 Meriwether Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meriwether-lewis/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coward/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am not a coward, but I am so strong. 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