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Retreat Quotes

On resolve, timing, and what it means never to retreat.

Retreat means different things across these quotes: a quiet writer's escape to Brooklyn, a tactical judgment about when to strike and when to hold back, and, in a solemn historical vow, a declaration of unwavering resolve, quoted here as military history, not as an endorsement of conflict.

Brooklyn is kind of my writer's retreat.

Quotes by Tracy K. Smith

Christians take Scriptures out of context to try to justify or to vindicate retreat and cowardice.

Quotes by Randall Terry

Follow me if I advance, kill me if I retreat, avenge me if I die.

Quotes by Mary Matalin

You have to know when to strike and when to retreat.

Quotes by John Oates

Ale Quotes

No retreat. No retreat. They must conquer or die who've no retreat.

Quotes by John Gay

I retreat to my cave in a very male fashion.

Quotes by Ed Stoppard

Reform is not a period of retreat.

Quotes by David Remnick

The heroes of the present will retreat to the imitation they are anyhow.

Quotes by Charles Olson

Music makes illness retreat.

Quotes by Asha Bhosle

Avenge Quotes

I long for, not a writer's retreat - I can write in any situation - but a reader's retreat.

Quotes by Aleksandar Hemon

Frequently Asked Questions

What different meanings of 'retreat' show up in this collection?
The word covers real ground here, from a quiet writer's personal escape, to a tactical judgment about when to hold back rather than push forward, to a solemn historical vow of resolve. These are quoted as historical and reflective material, not as endorsements of conflict.
Why do people search for retreat quotes?
Some want the peaceful, personal sense of retreat as a place to recharge, while others are researching historical declarations of resolve or determination. The collection serves both, which is part of what makes the theme broader than it first appears.
Is there a quote here about a personal writing retreat?
Yes, one entry describes a specific place used as a quiet escape for writing, a much gentler use of the word than the historical entries. See the Brooklyn collection for more on that setting.
What historical context surrounds the more solemn retreat quotes in this set?
A couple of lines here are quoted as military history, expressions of unwavering resolve from a moment of real pressure, presented factually and without glorifying the conflict itself. They're included for their historical weight, not as commentary on violence.
Do these quotes address knowing when to hold back versus push forward?
Yes, one line frames retreat as a matter of timing and judgment, knowing when to strike and when to pull back rather than treating retreat as simple defeat. For related themes on loyalty and resolve, browse Avenge or Cave quotes.

Another historical line asks followers to advance together and hold each other accountable to the end, a statement about loyalty under pressure. For related themes, see Cave or Avenge quotes.