Robert Christy, comp. Proverbs, Maxims and Phrases of All Ages. 1887.

Freedom

A bird in a cage is not half a bird.Beecher.

A poor freedom is better than a rich slavery.

All are not free who mock their chains.German.

Better a bean and freedom, than comfits and slavery.German.

Better be a bird of the wood than a bird in a cage.Italian.

Better be a free bird than a captive king.Danish.

Better free in a foreign land than a serf at home.German.

Better to look from the mountain than from the dungeon.Servian.

Corrupted freemen are the worst of slaves.Garrick.

For from the moment a freeman takes
A tyrant’s gift, his half of manhood’s fled.

Freedom has a thousand charms to show,
That slaves howe’er contented never know.Cowper.

Freedom is above silver and gold.German.

Freedom’s battle once begun,
Bequeathed from bleeding sire to son,
Though baffled oft is ever won.

He is not free who drags his chain after him.French, Italian.

He is the freeman whom the truth makes free.Cowper.

Hereditary bondsmen, know ye not
Who would be free themselves must strike the blow?Byron.

In a free country there is much complaint with little suffering: in a despotism much suffering but little complaint.Giles’ Proverbs.

Injurious is the gift that takes away freedom.Italian.

None is to be deemed free who has not perfect self-command.Pythagoras.

One never knows what freedom means till one has seen those who are not free.Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine.

On the first day of his servitude the captive is deprived of one-half of his manly virtue.Homer.

The good man alone is free and all bad men are slaves.Maxim of the Stoics.

The most magnificent palace would appear to him a prison who was confined to it.Turkish Spy.

To speak his thoughts is every freeman’s right.Homer.

We must be free or die, who speak the tongue that Shakspeare writ.Wordsworth.

Who has lost his freedom has nothing else to lose.German.

Who sells his freedom in exchange for gold,
Shall make eternal servitude his fate.Homer.