--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Courage is reckoned the greatest of all…" description: "\"Courage is reckoned the greatest of all virtues; because, unless a man has that virtue, he has no security for preserving any other\" — Samuel Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/samuel-johnson-50_character_courage-is-reckoned-the-greatest-of-all_478936.png" --- # Courage is reckoned the greatest of all virtues; because… ![“Courage is reckoned the greatest of all virtues; because, unless a man has that virtue, he has no security for preserving any other” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/samuel-johnson-50_character_courage-is-reckoned-the-greatest-of-all_478936.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/samuel-johnson-50_character_courage-is-reckoned-the-greatest-of-all_478936.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/samuel-johnson-50_character_courage-is-reckoned-the-greatest-of-all_478936.png) > “Courage is reckoned the greatest of all virtues; because, unless a man has that virtue, he has no security for preserving any other” [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Courage is the foundation that enables all other virtues to be protected and exercised. **In simple terms:** Courage underpins all other virtues. Key Takeaway Cultivate bravery to safeguard other values. Themes courage virtue security Mood determined reflective Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - leadership - personal development - ethical decision making Key Concepts Moral philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does courage influence your moral choices? - What risks do you avoid due to fear? A Different Perspective Courage alone may not guarantee success without wisdom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Virtues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtues/) ## Related quotes > [ \[C\]ourage is reckoned the greatest of all virtues; because, unless a man has that virtue, he has no security for preserving any other. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/c-ourage-is-reckoned-the-greatest-of-all-virtues-because-unless-a-man/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Courage is the greatest of all virtues, because if you haven't courage, you may not have an opportunity to use any of the others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/courage-is-the-greatest-of-all-virtues-because-if-you-haven-t-courage/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/gratitude-is-not-only-the-greatest-of-virtues-but-the-parent-of-all/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Patience is the greatest of all virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cato-the-elder/patience-is-the-greatest-of-all-virtues/) [Cato the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cato-the-elder/) > [“Self- reliance is the greatest of all virtues my friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/self-reliance-is-the-greatest-of-all-virtues-my-friend/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [To insist on living until we die may be one of life's greatest virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/to-insist-on-living-until-we-die-may-be-one-of-life-s-greatest-virtues/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues, the most dominating virtues of human,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-doubt-that-it-is-around-the-family-and-the-home-that-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Perhaps man was neither good nor bad, was only a machine in an insensate universe--his courage no more than a reflex to danger, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white/perhaps-man-was-neither-good-nor-bad-was-only-a-machine-in-an/) [T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) > [“Patience is the greatest of virtues in a woodsman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fenimore-cooper/patience-is-the-greatest-of-virtues-in-a-woodsman/) [James Fenimore Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fenimore-cooper/) > [The greatest virtues are those which are most useful to other persons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-greatest-virtues-are-those-which-are-most-useful-to-other-persons/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The greatest minds are capable of the greatest vices as well as of the greatest virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-descartes/the-greatest-minds-are-capable-of-the-greatest-vices-as-well-as-of/) [Rene Descartes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-descartes/) > [Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/gratitude-is-not-only-the-greatest-of-virtues-but-the-parent-of-all-2/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Consider it the greatest of all virtues to restrain the tongue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cato-the-younger/consider-it-the-greatest-of-all-virtues-to-restrain-the-tongue/) [Cato the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cato-the-younger/) > [“It was one of the ferryman’s greatest virtues that, like few people, he knew how to listen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-was-one-of-the-ferryman-s-greatest-virtues-that-like-few-people-he/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Those possest of the greatest Virtues are always least pleas'd with the repetition of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-haywood/those-possest-of-the-greatest-virtues-are-always-least-pleas-d-with/) [Eliza Haywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-haywood/) ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. 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But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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