--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man cannot lay down the right of…" description: "\"A man cannot lay down the right of resisting them that assault him by force, to take away his life.\" — Thomas Hobbes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/261/thomas-hobbes-1127_assault_a-man-cannot-lay-down-the-right-of-resis_1651733.jpg" --- # A man cannot lay down the right of resisting them that… ![“A man cannot lay down the right of resisting them that assault him by force, to take away his life.” quote by Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/261/thomas-hobbes-1127_assault_a-man-cannot-lay-down-the-right-of-resis_1651733.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/261/thomas-hobbes-1127_assault_a-man-cannot-lay-down-the-right-of-resis_1651733.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/261/thomas-hobbes-1127_assault_a-man-cannot-lay-down-the-right-of-resis_1651733.jpg) > “A man cannot lay down the right of resisting them that assault him by force, to take away his life.” [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The right to self‑defence is forfeited when one is forcibly killed, so resistance is impossible in that case. **In simple terms:** You cannot resist when killed. Key Takeaway Accept limits of power. Themes rights self‑defence political philosophy Mood serious reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - war - legal rights - personal safety Key Concepts social contract state authority Questions to Reflect On - Is resistance ever justified against overwhelming force? - How do societies protect those unable to defend themselves? A Different Perspective Even when powerless, moral duty may persist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assault/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Force Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force-away-660077/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Resisting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resisting/) [Resisting Assault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resisting-assault-660075/) [Right Resisting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-resisting-660076/) ## Related quotes > [For when the heart insists on its destiny, resisting the general blandishment, then the agony is great; so too the danger. Forces, however, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/for-when-the-heart-insists-on-its-destiny-resisting-the-general/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Given the difficulty of resisting such temptations over the longer run, a proper concern for the welfare of congressional souls may well be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-buckley/given-the-difficulty-of-resisting-such-temptations-over-the-longer/) [James L. Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-buckley/) > [All stress comes from resisting what is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/all-stress-comes-from-resisting-what-is/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [The project you are most resisting carries your greatest growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/the-project-you-are-most-resisting-carries-your-greatest-growth/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [If you really stop resisting someone or stop judging them or stop being afraid of them or stop imagining they're going to do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/if-you-really-stop-resisting-someone-or-stop-judging-them-or-stop/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [Who then is free? The wise who can command his passions, who fears not want, nor death, nor chains, firmly resisting his appetites and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/who-then-is-free-the-wise-who-can-command-his-passions-who-fears-not/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [“mostly I have found myself resisting their sadness when I have so much of my own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/mostly-i-have-found-myself-resisting-their-sadness-when-i-have-so/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [Those who deny the right of a jury to protect an individual in resisting an unjust law of the government, deny him all defence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/those-who-deny-the-right-of-a-jury-to-protect-an-individual-in/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [It occurs to me that for a long time she has been doing her own version of resisting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/it-occurs-to-me-that-for-a-long-time-she-has-been-doing-her-own/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Paraphrased: The way of al-Junayd includes among other things abstaining constantly from resisting God Most High in whatever happens to one, whether good or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-ata-allah/paraphrased-the-way-of-al-junayd-includes-among-other-things/) [Ibn Ata Allah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-ata-allah/) > [Resisting a beautiful chocolate cake or a wonderful foie gras is as difficult as (the idea of) saying no to Paul Newman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-von-furstenberg/resisting-a-beautiful-chocolate-cake-or-a-wonderful-foie-gras-is-as/) [Diane von Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-von-furstenberg/) > [So if there was a way that I knew something about my character's desires or the things that they were resisting because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-antopol/so-if-there-was-a-way-that-i-knew-something-about-my-character-s/) [Molly Antopol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-antopol/) > [Resisting and avoiding pain sucks energy-and time. 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