it is good to make a bridge of gold to a flying enemy
- it is good to make a bridge of gold to a flying enemy
The rationale is ‘an enemy closely pursued may become desperate... By all means, then, let the vanquished have a free course’ (T. Fielding Proverbs of all Nations (1824) 14). The idea is attributed to Aristides (480 BC), who warned Themistocles not to destroy the bridge of boats which Xerxes had built across the Hellespont in order to invade Greece (PLUTARCH Themistocles xvi); cf. also 2005. Cf. ERASMUS Apophthegms viii. Hostibus fugientibus pontem argenteum exstruendum esse, for a fleeing enemy one should construct a bridge of silver.
1576 W. LAMBARDE Perambulation of Kent 323 It was well sayde of one..If thine enemie will flye, make him a bridge of Golde.
1642 T. FULLER Holy State IV. xvii. He [the good general] makes his flying enemy a bridge of gold, and disarms them of their best weapon, which is necessity to fight whether they will or no.
1889 R. L. STEVENSON Master of Ballantrae iv. You may have heard a military proverb: that it is a good thing to make a bridge of gold to a flying enemy. I trust you will take my meaning.
2005 Mideast Mirror 22 July (online) Bar-Lev, a former commander of the IDF’s elite Duvdevan unit who lost a leg when he stepped on a mine.., preferred to cite Mao Tse Tung, who spoke about laying down a bridge of gold for the enemy’s retreat.
Proverbs new dictionary.
Look at other dictionaries:
good — see if you can’t be good, be careful a good beginning makes a good ending there’s many a good cock come out of a tattered bag no good deed goes unpunished he is a good dog who goes to church the good die young … Proverbs new dictionary
enemy — see the enemy of my enemy is my friend the best is the enemy of the good it is good to make a bridge of gold to a flying enemy the good is the enemy of the best there is no little enemy save us from our friends … Proverbs new dictionary
bridge — see it is good to make a bridge of gold to a flying enemy don’t cross the bridge till you come to it everyone speaks well of the bridge which carries him over … Proverbs new dictionary
gold — see gold may be bought too dear it is good to make a bridge of gold to a flying enemy give a thing, and take a thing, to wear the devil’s gold ring all that glitters is not gold … Proverbs new dictionary
Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, Thematic Index — absence absence makes the heart grow fonder he who is absent is always in the wrong the best of friends must part blue are the hills that are far away distance lends enchantment to the view out of sight, out of mind … Proverbs new dictionary
fly — noun see eagles don’t catch flies honey catches more flies than vinegar a shut mouth catches no flies verb see time flies a bird never flew on one wing participial adjective see … Proverbs new dictionary
List of Pokémon (387–440) — Pokémon has 646 (as of Pokémon Black and White) distinctive fictional species classified as the titular Pokémon. These creatures and entities reside throughout various locations of the fictional Pokémon universe and can be caught by humans… … Wikipedia
Calendar of 2002 — ▪ 2003 January I will not wait on events while dangers gather. I will not stand by as peril draws closer and closer. The United States of America will not permit the world s most dangerous regimes to threaten us with the world s most destructive… … Universalium
Sergey Lukyanenko bibliography — This is the bibliography of Sergey Lukyanenko.ergey Lukyanenko ., et al. (1990), Knights of Forty Islandsergey Lukyanenko ., et al. (1990), Nuclear DreamIsland Russia Trilogy, co authored with Juliy Burkin. In the novella A princess is worth… … Wikipedia
literature — /lit euhr euh cheuhr, choor , li treuh /, n. 1. writings in which expression and form, in connection with ideas of permanent and universal interest, are characteristic or essential features, as poetry, novels, history, biography, and essays. 2.… … Universalium
