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All authority must be out of a man's self, turned . . . either upon an art, or upon a man. - Francis Bacon,

For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.

Authority intoxicates, And makes mere sots of magistrates; The fumes of it invade the brain, And make men giddy, proud, and vain.

He who rules by moral force is like the pole star, which remains in place while all the lesser stars do homage to it.

Authority is never without hate.

Well, I must be patient; there is no fettering of authority.

Shall remain! Hear you this Triton of the minnows? Mark you His absolute 'shall'?

Thou hast seen a farmer's dog bark at a beggar? . . . And the creature run from the cur. There thou mightst behold the great image of authority--a dog's obeyed in office.

Those he commands move only in command, Nothing in live. Now does he feel his title Hang loose about him, like a giant's robe Upon a dwarfish thief.

Thus can the demigod Authority Make us pay down for our offense by weight The words of heaven; on whom it will, it will, On whom it will not, so: yet still 'tis just.

Merciful heaven, Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt Splits the unwedgeable and gnarled oak Than the soft myrtle; but man, proud man, Dressed in a little brief authority, Most ignorant of what he's most assured His glassy essence--like an angry ape Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven As makes the angels weep; who, with our spleens, would all themselves laugh mortal.

He seems to be of great authority. Close with him, give him gold; and though authority be a stubborn bear, yet he is oft led by the nose with gold.

Authority forgets a dying king, Laid widow'd of the power in his eye That bow'd the will.

Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority.

A position of authority is neither necessary nor sufficient for the exercise of leadership.

Always acknowledge a fault. This will throw those in authority off their guard and give you an opportunity to commit more.

If you wish to know what a man is, place him in authority.

If you're going to kick authority in the teeth, you might as well use two feet.

To punish me for my contempt for authority, fate made me an authority myself.

The faith that stand on authority is not faith.