# Warrior

A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior class or caste.

## Quotes

* Better is it for each one of us that he should avenge his friend, than greatly mourn. Each of us must expect an end of living in this world; let him who may win glory before death: for that is best at last for the departed warrior.
** Beowulf, line 1385
* Once a warrior gentle of birth, Then a person of civic worth, Now a fellow to move our mirth. Warrior, person, and fellow -- no more: We must knight our dogs to get any lower. Brave Knights Kennelers then shall be, Noble Knights of the Golden Flea, Knights of the Order of St. Steboy, Knights of St. Gorge and Sir Knights Jawy. God speed the day when this knighting fad Shall go to the dogs and the dogs go mad.
** Ambrose Bierce, The Cynic's Dictionary (1906); republished as The Devil's Dictionary (1911).
* The two worst strategic mistakes to make are acting prematurely and letting an opportunity slip; to avoid this, the warrior treats each situation as if it were unique and never resorts to formulae, recipes or other people's opinions.
** Paulo Coelho, as quoted in Quotes That Help You Survive (2006) by Harpreet Kaur Kapoor.
* We warriors of light must be prepared to have patience in difficult times and to know the Universe is conspiring in our favor, even though we may not understand how.
** Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist (1988)' ISBN 0-06-112241-6 Introduction, p. xi.
* Every Warrior of the Light has suffered for the most trivial of reasons. Every Warrior of the Light has, at least once, believed he was not a Warrior of the Light. Every Warrior of the Light has failed in his spiritual duties. Every Warrior of the Light has said "yes" when he wanted to say "no." Every Warrior of the Light has hurt someone he loved. That is why he is a Warrior of the Light, because he has been through all this and yet has never lost hope of being better than he is. Each stone, each bend cries welcome to him. He identifies with the mountains and the streams, he sees something of his own soul in the plants and the animals and the birds of the field. Then, accepting the help of God and of God's signs, he allows his personal legend to guide him toward the tasks that life has reserved for him. On some nights, he has nowhere to sleep, on others he suffers from insomnia. "That's just how it is," thinks the warrior. "I was the one who chose to walk this path." In these words lies all his power: He chose the path along which he is walking and so has no complaints.
** Paulo Coelho, The Manual of the Warrior of Light (1997)
* Warriors of the light are not perfect. Their beauty lies in accepting this fact and still desiring to grow and to learn.
** Paulo Coelho, The Manual of the Warrior of Light (1997)
* A warrior of the light never confuses tension with anxiety.
** Paulo Coelho, The Manual of the Warrior of Light (1997)
* Whence this sneaking admiration we all have for bullies and prize-fighters? Whence the self-congratulation of “dominant” races, as if “dominant” meant “righteous” and carried with it a title to inherit the earth? Whence the scorn of so-called weak or unwarlike races and individuals, and the very comfortable assurance that it is their manifest destiny to be wiped out as vermin before this advancing civilization? As if the possession of the Christian graces of meekness, non-resistance and forgiveness, were incompatible with a civilization professedly based on Christianity, the religion of love!
** Anna Julia Haywood Cooper, A Voice from the South by a Black Woman of the South (1892), p. 51
* Love for distance and order, the ability to subordinate one's individualistic and passionate element to principles, the ability to take action and work above mere personhood, a feeling of dignity devoid of vanity are features of the true warrior spirit as essential those which refer to actual combat.
** Julius Evola, Metaphysics of War [2007], pp. 114–115
* Warrior spirit is characterised by direct, clear and loyal relations, based on fidelity and honour and a sound instinct for the various dignities, which it can well distinguish: it opposes everything which is impersonal and trivial.
** Julius Evola, Metaphysics of War [2007], p. 117
* I am Ezina, I am born for the warrior -- I do not give up.
** Ezina, in Debate between sheep and grain (mid to late 3rd millennium BC)
* After I have conferred my power on the warrior, when he goes to war he knows no fear, he knows no faltering.
** Lahar, in Debate between sheep and grain (mid to late 3rd millennium BC)
* And, though the warrior's sun has set, Its light shall linger round us yet, Bright, radiant, blest.
** Don Jorge Manrique, Coplas De Manrique. Last lines. Translation by Longfellow. Quotes reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 841-60.
* Strategy is the craft of the warrior.
** Miyamoto Musashi The Ground Book, also translated as The Earth Book. Online text
* It is said the warrior's is the twofold Way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both Ways. Even if a man has no natural ability he can be a warrior by sticking assiduously to both divisions of the Way. Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death.
** Miyamoto Musashi The Ground Book, also translated as The Earth Book. Online text
* And the stern joy which warriors feel In foemen worthy of their steel.
** Walter Scott, Lady of the Lake (1810), Canto V, Stanza 10.
* Warriors!—and where are warriors found, If not on martial Britain's ground? And who, when waked with note of fire, Love more than they the British lyre?
** Walter Scott, Lord of the Isles, Canto IV, Stanza 20.
* The painful warrior famoused for fight, After a thousand victories once foiled, Is from the book of honour razed quite, And all the rest forgot for which he toiled.
** William Shakespeare, Sonnet XXV. "Fight" is "worth" in original.
* The warrior is unique, he alone is the equal of many; Utu is unique, he alone is the equal of many. With your life you should always be on the side of the warrior; with your life you should always be on the side of Utu.
** Šuruppak, Instructions of Shuruppak (3rd millennium BC).
* Prostrate on earth the bleeding warrior lies, And Isr'el's beauty on the mountains dies. How are the mighty fallen! Hush'd be my sorrow, gently fall my tears, Lest my sad tale should reach the alien's ears: Bid Fame be dumb, and tremble to proclaim In heathen Gath, or Ascalon, our shame Lest proud Philistia, lest our haughty foe, With impious scorn insult our solemn woe.
** William Somervile, The Lamentation of David over Saul and Jonathan.
* Home they brought her warrior dead.
** Alfred Tennyson, The Princess (1847), song at end of Canto V.
* No useless coffin enclosed his breast, Not in sheet nor in shroud we wound him; But he lay like a warrior taking his rest With his martial cloak around him.
** Charles Wolfe, The Burial of Sir John Moore at Carunna, Stanza 3.

## See also

* Barbarian
* Knight
* Mental health
* Military
* Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
* Soldier