--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For to accuse requires less eloquence…" description: "\"For to accuse requires less eloquence, such is man's nature, than to excuse; and condemnation, than absolution, more resembles justice.\" — Thomas Hobbes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/thomas-hobbes-1127_accuse_for-to-accuse-requires-less-eloquence-su_3116509.jpg" --- # For to accuse requires less eloquence, such is man's… ![“For to accuse requires less eloquence, such is man's nature, than to excuse; and condemnation, than absolution, more resembles justice.” quote by Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/thomas-hobbes-1127_accuse_for-to-accuse-requires-less-eloquence-su_3116509.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/thomas-hobbes-1127_accuse_for-to-accuse-requires-less-eloquence-su_3116509.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/thomas-hobbes-1127_accuse_for-to-accuse-requires-less-eloquence-su_3116509.jpg) > “For to accuse requires less eloquence, such is man's nature, than to excuse; and condemnation, than absolution, more resembles justice.” [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. Accusing others is easier than excusing them; condemnation feels more just than absolution. **In simple terms:** Blaming is simpler than forgiving. Key Takeaway Reflect on fairness in judgment. Themes justice human nature morality judgment Mood philosophical analytical Type ethical reflective When to use this quote - legal systems - interpersonal conflict resolution - media criticism Key Concepts ethical reasoning psychology of blame social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - When is condemnation justified? - How can we balance blame and forgiveness? A Different Perspective May ignore context and nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accuse/) [Condemnation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/condemnation/) [Condemnation Absolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/condemnation-absolution-4012740/) [Eloquence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eloquence/) [Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuse/) [Excuse Condemnation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuse-condemnation-5457191/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Resembles Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resembles-justice-5457192/) ## Related quotes > [“Someone's forgiveness will not heal you; condemnation or absolution is their test, not yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/someone-s-forgiveness-will-not-heal-you-condemnation-or-absolution-is/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [The last thing I would accuse a cat of is innocence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-graham-paley/the-last-thing-i-would-accuse-a-cat-of-is-innocence/) [Edward Graham Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-graham-paley/) > [“this is the crime of which I accuse my country and my countrymen, and for which neither I nor time nor history will ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/this-is-the-crime-of-which-i-accuse-my-country-and-my-countrymen-and/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [Our lives are the results of our choices. To blame and accuse other people, the environment, or other extrinsic factors is to choose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/our-lives-are-the-results-of-our-choices-to-blame-and-accuse-other/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [It is the writer's business not to accuse and not to prosecute, but to champion the guilty, once they are condemned and suffer punishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/it-is-the-writer-s-business-not-to-accuse-and-not-to-prosecute-but-to/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [We live in a world, a medieval type of world, where someone can accuse you - through gossip and hearsay, and all of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/we-live-in-a-world-a-medieval-type-of-world-where-someone-can-accuse/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [Just tell the truth, and they'll accuse you of writing black humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-willeford/just-tell-the-truth-and-they-ll-accuse-you-of-writing-black-humor/) [Charles Willeford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-willeford/) > [“Looks sure can be deceiving: not every ‘ugly’ person is a ‘bad’ person (or is guilty of whatever it is that they are accused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/looks-sure-can-be-deceiving-not-every-ugly-person-is-a-bad-person-or/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Can you accuse me, if a man is putting a rope around my neck, of being violent, when I violently struggle against this lyncher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/can-you-accuse-me-if-a-man-is-putting-a-rope-around-my-neck-of-being/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [We know that we are not collectively guilty, so how can we accuse any other nation, no matter what some of its people have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/we-know-that-we-are-not-collectively-guilty-so-how-can-we-accuse-any/) [Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/) > [You can accuse Europeans of being many things - except fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-angel-gurria/you-can-accuse-europeans-of-being-many-things-except-fast/) [Jose Angel Gurria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-angel-gurria/) > [When something goes wrong, accuse yourself first. Even the wisdom of Plato or Solomon can wobble and go blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/when-something-goes-wrong-accuse-yourself-first-even-the-wisdom-of/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“Some will accuse me of being judgmental. Thank you. And proud of it. You wreck a kid's life, I have no pity for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/some-will-accuse-me-of-being-judgmental-thank-you-and-proud-of-it-you/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [When a man is not wanted in the village, he is always accused of raising dust even when he falls in a pool of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/when-a-man-is-not-wanted-in-the-village-he-is-always-accused-of/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [To blame and accuse other people, is to choose to empower them, to control us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/to-blame-and-accuse-other-people-is-to-choose-to-empower-them-to/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) ## More by Thomas Hobbes > [“Give an inch, he'll take an ell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/give-an-inch-he-ll-take-an-ell/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Do not that to another, which thou wouldst not have done to thyself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/do-not-that-to-another-which-thou-wouldst-not-have-done-to-thyself/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [For it is with the mysteries of our religion, as with wholesome pills for the sick, which swallowed whole, have the virtue to cure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-it-is-with-the-mysteries-of-our-religion-as-with-wholesome-pills/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Intemperance is naturally punished with diseases; rashness, with mischance; injustice; with violence of enemies; pride, with ruin; cowardice, with oppression; and rebellion, with slaughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/intemperance-is-naturally-punished-with-diseases-rashness-with/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A man's conscience and his judgment is the same thing; and as the judgment, so also the conscience, may be erroneous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-man-s-conscience-and-his-judgment-is-the-same-thing-and-as-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [He that is to govern a whole Nation , must read in himself, not this, or that particular man; but Mankind; which though it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must-read-in-himself-not-this-or/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [If men are naturally in a state of war, why do they always carry arms and why do they have keys to lock their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/if-men-are-naturally-in-a-state-of-war-why-do-they-always-carry-arms/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Let a man (as most men do) rate themselves as the highest Value they can; yet their true Value is no more than it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/let-a-man-as-most-men-do-rate-themselves-as-the-highest-value-they/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A free man is he that, in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-free-man-is-he-that-in-those-things-which-by-his-strength-and-wit/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [“Covenants, without the sword, are but words and of no strength to secure a man at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/covenants-without-the-sword-are-but-words-and-of-no-strength-to/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Fear of things invisible in the natural seed of that which everyone in himself calleth religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/fear-of-things-invisible-in-the-natural-seed-of-that-which-everyone/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Because silver and gold have their value from the matter itself, they have first this privilege, that the value of them cannot be altered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/because-silver-and-gold-have-their-value-from-the-matter-itself-they/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [What reason is there that he which laboreth much, and, sparing the fruits of his labor, consumeth little, should be more charged than he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/what-reason-is-there-that-he-which-laboreth-much-and-sparing-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The cause of Sense, is the External Body, or Object, which presseth the organ proper to each Sense, either immediately, as in theTaste and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-cause-of-sense-is-the-external-body-or-object-which-presseth-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The characters of man's heart, blotted and confounded as they are with dissembling, lying, counterfeiting, and erroneous doctrines, are legible only to him that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-characters-of-man-s-heart-blotted-and-confounded-as-they-are-with/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) [Explore all 285 Thomas Hobbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) ## More Accuse quotes > [To blame and accuse other people, is to choose to empower them, to control us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/to-blame-and-accuse-other-people-is-to-choose-to-empower-them-to/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [When a man is not wanted in the village, he is always accused of raising dust even when he falls in a pool of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/when-a-man-is-not-wanted-in-the-village-he-is-always-accused-of/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“Some will accuse me of being judgmental. Thank you. And proud of it. You wreck a kid's life, I have no pity for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/some-will-accuse-me-of-being-judgmental-thank-you-and-proud-of-it-you/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [When something goes wrong, accuse yourself first. Even the wisdom of Plato or Solomon can wobble and go blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/when-something-goes-wrong-accuse-yourself-first-even-the-wisdom-of/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [You can accuse Europeans of being many things - except fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-angel-gurria/you-can-accuse-europeans-of-being-many-things-except-fast/) [Jose Angel Gurria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-angel-gurria/) > [We know that we are not collectively guilty, so how can we accuse any other nation, no matter what some of its people have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/we-know-that-we-are-not-collectively-guilty-so-how-can-we-accuse-any/) [Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/) > [Can you accuse me, if a man is putting a rope around my neck, of being violent, when I violently struggle against this lyncher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/can-you-accuse-me-if-a-man-is-putting-a-rope-around-my-neck-of-being/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Looks sure can be deceiving: not every ‘ugly’ person is a ‘bad’ person (or is guilty of whatever it is that they are accused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/looks-sure-can-be-deceiving-not-every-ugly-person-is-a-bad-person-or/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Just tell the truth, and they'll accuse you of writing black humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-willeford/just-tell-the-truth-and-they-ll-accuse-you-of-writing-black-humor/) [Charles Willeford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-willeford/) > [We live in a world, a medieval type of world, where someone can accuse you - through gossip and hearsay, and all of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/we-live-in-a-world-a-medieval-type-of-world-where-someone-can-accuse/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [It is the writer's business not to accuse and not to prosecute, but to champion the guilty, once they are condemned and suffer punishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/it-is-the-writer-s-business-not-to-accuse-and-not-to-prosecute-but-to/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [Our lives are the results of our choices. To blame and accuse other people, the environment, or other extrinsic factors is to choose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/our-lives-are-the-results-of-our-choices-to-blame-and-accuse-other/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [“this is the crime of which I accuse my country and my countrymen, and for which neither I nor time nor history will ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/this-is-the-crime-of-which-i-accuse-my-country-and-my-countrymen-and/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [The last thing I would accuse a cat of is innocence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-graham-paley/the-last-thing-i-would-accuse-a-cat-of-is-innocence/) [Edward Graham Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-graham-paley/) > [I am falsely accused, without proof, of using my position for personal profit. Many who accuse me have lifestyles and spending habits that make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-falsely-accused-without-proof-of-using-my-position-for-personal/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 150 Accuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For to accuse requires less eloquence, such is man's nature, than to excuse; and condemnation, than absolution, more resembles justice.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Hobbes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-to-accuse-requires-less-eloquence-such-is-man-s-nature-than-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-to-accuse-requires-less-eloquence-such-is-man-s-nature-than-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/thomas-hobbes-1127_accuse_for-to-accuse-requires-less-eloquence-su_3116509.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/thomas-hobbes-1127_accuse_for-to-accuse-requires-less-eloquence-su_3116509.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/thomas-hobbes-1127_accuse_for-to-accuse-requires-less-eloquence-su_3116509.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For to accuse requires less eloquence, such is man's nature, than to excuse; and condemnation, than…” — Thomas Hobbes", "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": "Thomas Hobbes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For to accuse requires less eloquence,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-to-accuse-requires-less-eloquence-such-is-man-s-nature-than-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-to-accuse-requires-less-eloquence-such-is-man-s-nature-than-to/#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 } } ] } ```