Accused Quote by Philip Sidney
“Malice, in its false witness, promotes its tale with so cunning a confusion, so mingles truths with falsehoods, surmises with certainties, causes of no moment with matters capital, that the accused can absolutely neither grant nor deny, plead innocen.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: Arcadia, 1590
Describes how false testimony confuses truth, making the accused unable to defend themselves.
In simple terms: False witness clouds truth, hindering defense.
Key Takeaway
Beware deceitful accusations.
Themes
justice
truth
deception
Mood
cautionary
serious
Type
philosophical
legal
When to use this quote
- courtrooms
- media reporting
- personal disputes
Key Concepts
legal ethics
philosophy
rhetoric
Questions to Reflect On
- How can one protect against false accusations?
- What role does evidence play in truth?
A Different Perspective
Truth may be obscured by rhetoric.
![“[Y]ou are not ashamed of your sin [in committing adultery] because so many men commit it. Man's wickedness is now such that men are more ashamed of chastity than of lechery. Murderers, thieves, perjurers, false witnesses, plunderers and fraudsters are detested and hated by people generally, but…” quote by Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d8c/augustine-of-hippo-2589_adultery_y-ou-are-not-ashamed-of-your-sin-in-comm_380143.jpg)
