--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I should like to know which is worse: to…" description: "\"I should like to know which is worse: to be ravished a hundred times by pirates, and have a buttock cut off, and run the gauntlet of the Bulgarians, an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/920/voltaire-173_bulgarians_i-should-like-to-know-which-is-worse-to_975075.png" --- # I should like to know which is worse: to be ravished a… ![“I should like to know which is worse: to be ravished a hundred times by pirates, and have a buttock cut off, and run the gauntlet of the Bulgarians, and be flogged and hanged in an auto-da-fe, and be dissected, and have to row in a galley -- in short, to undergo all the miseries we have each of us…” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/920/voltaire-173_bulgarians_i-should-like-to-know-which-is-worse-to_975075.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/920/voltaire-173_bulgarians_i-should-like-to-know-which-is-worse-to_975075.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/920/voltaire-173_bulgarians_i-should-like-to-know-which-is-worse-to_975075.png) > “I should like to know which is worse: to be ravished a hundred times by pirates, and have a buttock cut off, and run the gauntlet of the Bulgarians, and be flogged and hanged in an auto-da-fe, and be dissected, and have to row in a galley -- in short, to undergo all the miseries we have each of us suffered -- or simply to sit here and do nothing?' That is a hard question,' said Candide.” [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## 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 questions whether extreme suffering or passive inaction is worse, highlighting the paradox of choosing between active torment and passive complacency. **In simple terms:** Is suffering worse than doing nothing? Key Takeaway Consider the cost of inaction. Themes suffering passivity choice philosophy Mood reflective serious Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - war - political oppression - personal crises - everyday life Key Concepts existentialism moral dilemma human condition Questions to Reflect On - What does doing nothing cost you? - Can you find meaning in suffering? A Different Perspective Passive suffering can be as damaging as active torment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bulgarians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bulgarians/) [Buttocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buttocks/) [Candide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candide/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Hundred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hundred/) [Miseries Suffered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miseries-suffered-1296160/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Pirate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pirate/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Suffered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffered/) [Suffered Simply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffered-simply-1899338/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse/) [Worse Ravished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse-ravished-1899337/) ## Related quotes > [The miseries suffered by our people come more from the shameless exploitation of our countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mobutu-sese-seko/the-miseries-suffered-by-our-people-come-more-from-the-shameless/) [Mobutu Sese Seko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mobutu-sese-seko/) > [ “The shrieks were coming from two quite naked girls, who were pursued by a pair of apes snapping at their bottoms. \[...\] So he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-shrieks-were-coming-from-two-quite-naked-girls-who-were-pursued/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“My dear young lady, when you are in love, and jealous, and have been flogged by the Inquisition, there's no knowing what you may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/my-dear-young-lady-when-you-are-in-love-and-jealous-and-have-been/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [What a pessimist you are!" exclaimed Candide. "That is because I know what life is," said Martin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/what-a-pessimist-you-are-exclaimed-candide-that-is-because-i-know/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“I have no more than twenty acres of ground," he replied, "the whole of which I cultivate myself with the help of my children;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/i-have-no-more-than-twenty-acres-of-ground-he-replied-the-whole-of/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [We must cultivate our own garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/we-must-cultivate-our-own-garden/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Excellently observed", answered Candide; "but let us cultivate our garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/excellently-observed-answered-candide-but-let-us-cultivate-our-garden/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [What! Have you no monks to teach, to dispute, to govern, to intrigue and to burn people who do not agree with them?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/what-have-you-no-monks-to-teach-to-dispute-to-govern-to-intrigue-and/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“It is man´s faith to live either on agonies of fear and turmoil or in the prostration of boredom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-man-s-faith-to-live-either-on-agonies-of-fear-and-turmoil-or-in/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [You're a bitter man," said Candide. That's because I've lived," said Martin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/you-re-a-bitter-man-said-candide-that-s-because-i-ve-lived-said-martin/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Dogs, monkeys, and parrots are a thousand times less miserable than we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/dogs-monkeys-and-parrots-are-a-thousand-times-less-miserable-than-we/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Optimism," said Cacambo, "What is that?" "Alas!" replied Candide, "It is the obstinacy of maintaining that everything is best when it is worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/optimism-said-cacambo-what-is-that-alas-replied-candide-it-is-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Everything is not as good as in El-Dorado; but everything is not so bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/everything-is-not-as-good-as-in-el-dorado-but-everything-is-not-so-bad/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [All men are by nature free; you have therefore an undoubted liberty to depart whenever you please, but will have many and great difficulties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/all-men-are-by-nature-free-you-have-therefore-an-undoubted-liberty-to/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [All events are linked together in the best of possible worlds; after all, if you had not been driven from a fine castle by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/all-events-are-linked-together-in-the-best-of-possible-worlds-after/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## More by Voltaire > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Fanaticism, to which men are so much inclined, has always served not only to render them more brutalized but more wicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/fanaticism-to-which-men-are-so-much-inclined-has-always-served-not/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [We’re neither pure, nor wise, nor good; we do the best we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/we-re-neither-pure-nor-wise-nor-good-we-do-the-best-we-know/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part, the rest are lost in the multitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-with-books-as-with-men-a-very-small-number-play-a-great-part/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Meslier was the most singular phenomenon ever seen among all the meteors fatal to the Christian religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/meslier-was-the-most-singular-phenomenon-ever-seen-among-all-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Being unable to make people more reasonable, I preferred to be happy away from them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/being-unable-to-make-people-more-reasonable-i-preferred-to-be-happy/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [When his highness sends a ship to Egypt, does he trouble his head whether the mice on board are at their ease or not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/when-his-highness-sends-a-ship-to-egypt-does-he-trouble-his-head/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Madness is to think of too many things in succession too fast, or of one thing too exclusively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/madness-is-to-think-of-too-many-things-in-succession-too-fast-or-of/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/god-gave-us-the-gift-of-life-it-is-up-to-us-to-give-ourselves-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is not inequality which is the real misfortune, it is dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-not-inequality-which-is-the-real-misfortune-it-is-dependence/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Providence has given us hope and sleep as a compensation for the many cares of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/providence-has-given-us-hope-and-sleep-as-a-compensation-for-the-many/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Men use thought only to justify their wrong doings, and employ speech only to conceal their thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/men-use-thought-only-to-justify-their-wrong-doings-and-employ-speech/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice, and need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/work-spares-us-from-three-evils-boredom-vice-and-need/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) [Explore all 934 Voltaire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## More Bulgarians quotes > [I love to cook and I've cooked a lot of Bulgarian food over the years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-kostova/i-love-to-cook-and-i-ve-cooked-a-lot-of-bulgarian-food-over-the-years/) [Elizabeth Kostova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-kostova/) > [I think I can work with different crews; I've worked with Bulgarian, Norwegian, Japanese, and Chinese crews. For me, the most important thing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-coixet/i-think-i-can-work-with-different-crews-i-ve-worked-with-bulgarian/) [Isabel Coixet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-coixet/) > [Bulgarians eat tarator every single day in summer. They think of it as salad although we'd call it a soup. You can make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-kostova/bulgarians-eat-tarator-every-single-day-in-summer-they-think-of-it-as/) [Elizabeth Kostova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-kostova/) > [My mother is Greek and my father is Bulgarian. I am a first-generation American and native Los Angeleno. I was born and raised in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-wilson/my-mother-is-greek-and-my-father-is-bulgarian-i-am-a-first-generation/) [Rita Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-wilson/) > [Hangovers are a vivid form of vengeance. Last night my apartment became the venue for a small, introverted chardonnay festival. A melancholy choir of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-jensen/hangovers-are-a-vivid-form-of-vengeance-last-night-my-apartment/) [Liz Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-jensen/) > [I would like travelers, especially American travelers, to travel in a way that broadens their perspective...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-steves/i-would-like-travelers-especially-american-travelers-to-travel-in-a/) [Rick Steves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-steves/) > [The Church of TED is very optimistic. Bulgarians are some of the most pessimistic in the world. There are the Happy, the Unhappy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-krastev/the-church-of-ted-is-very-optimistic-bulgarians-are-some-of-the-most/) [Ivan Krastev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-krastev/) > [The only thing that's running well in Bulgaria is the Bulgarian Football Union. Unlike the BFU, many footballers here don't run, they limp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-slavkov/the-only-thing-that-s-running-well-in-bulgaria-is-the-bulgarian/) [Ivan Slavkov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-slavkov/) > [I would like travelers, especially American travelers, to travel in a way that broadens their perspective, because I think Americans tend to be some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-steves/i-would-like-travelers-especially-american-travelers-to-travel-in-a-2/) [Rick Steves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-steves/) > [I will be a president of all Bulgarians, irrespective of their ethnicity, religion or political affiliations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgi-parvanov/i-will-be-a-president-of-all-bulgarians-irrespective-of-their/) [Georgi Parvanov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgi-parvanov/) > [I love the Olympics. I love the idea of something happening every four years. I've always had love for Bulgaria, and I've always been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/i-love-the-olympics-i-love-the-idea-of-something-happening-every-four/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) > [Americans and Englishmen, when they become acquainted with the Balkans, feel an astonished contempt when they study the mutual enmities of Bulgarians and Serbs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/americans-and-englishmen-when-they-become-acquainted-with-the-balkans/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The opening of the doors to 29 million Romanians and Bulgarians is going to become a huge issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/the-opening-of-the-doors-to-29-million-romanians-and-bulgarians-is/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) > [In the end we beat them with Levi's 501 jeans. Seventy-two years of communist indoctrination and propaganda was drowned out by a three-ounce Sony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-the-end-we-beat-them-with-levi-s-501-jeans-seventy-two-years-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [If my novel gets any attention in Bulgaria, it will be as a scandal: a book about a teacher at a famous school and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-greenwell/if-my-novel-gets-any-attention-in-bulgaria-it-will-be-as-a-scandal-a/) [Garth Greenwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-greenwell/) [Browse all 22 Bulgarians quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bulgarians/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I should like to know which is worse: to be ravished a hundred times by pirates, and have a buttock cut off, and run the gauntlet of the Bulgarians, and be flogged and hanged in an auto-da-fe, and be dissected, and have to row in a galley -- in short, to undergo all the miseries we have each of us suffered -- or simply to sit here and do nothing?' 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