Quotes Part Three Online Trivia | Who Said It?

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What Roman leader is quoted as saying: "I came, I saw, I conquered"?

Answer: Julius Caesar

He wrote in Latin and the more familiar version is "Veni, vidi, vici". He was commenting on a short war in Zela, Turkey in 47BC now known as Zile. Both brevity and egotism shine through.

2. What war time Prime Minister of Britain stood before Parliament and said: "I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this Government: 'I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.'"

Answer: Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill might best be described as a true Renaissance man. He was a leader, a politician, a journalist, a painter, and an historian. To say more would be gilding the lily. My favorite Churchill story is that was after he served as Prime Minister and was an ordinary MP someone commented on his age and alertness. To which Churchill replied, "They say he is deaf too!"

3. What oriental wise man once said: "Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves."

Answer: Confucius

Confucius' principles had a basis in Chinese tradition. He favored family loyalty, respect for ancestors and elders. The family, he felt, was an ideal government. He left nothing in his own writing but what we know is what others recorded.

4. What Southern US politician, regarded as one of the greatest senators of the 19th century, had this to say about government? "The Government of the absolute majority instead of the Government of the people is but the Government of the strongest interests; and when not efficiently checked, it is the most tyrannical and oppressive that can be devised."

Answer: John C Calhoun

Calhoun was one of the true intellectuals to serve in the US Senate. Over a period of time he changed his position on issues. His views were complex. For instance, he stood firm both on minority rights and slavery. His rationale was that slavery was an economic system controlled by a minority (white slave holders).

Therefore, the majority (non-slave holders) could not impinge on the rights of the minority. He held that the minority might veto oppressive acts of the majority.

5. What outstanding American novelist had this to say about a fellow American novelist? "That isn't writing at all, it's typing."

Answer: Truman Capote

Apparently, Capote did not appreciate the work of Jack Kerouac as that was his appraisal of "On the Road", a seminal novel of the so-called beat generation. Capote had early success with "Other Voices, Other Rooms" (1948)and "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1958). He then took on the project of creating a new form of expression. A novel based reality and chose a multiple murder in Nebraska. "In Cold Blood" was both a best-seller and was twice filmed. However, the project took so much out of him that he really published little the rest of his life and became a prancing peacock of a celebrity.

It is an interesting sidebar that Harper Lee used him as the character of Dill in "To Kill a Mockingbird" and that Lee worked for Capote as a research assistant. Two films were made about his life. Phillip Seymour Hoffman portrayed him, "Capote" (2005) and Toby Jones in "Infamous" (2006). It is a coin toss which was the more accurate performance. I think about this quote when I read a Stephen King novel.

6. What famous baseball sportscaster said this about his broadcasting style? "I knew the profanity used up and down my street would not go over the air ... So I trained myself to say 'Holy Cow' instead."

Answer: Harry Caray

Harry Caray's big break was becoming the broadcaster for the Saint Louis Cardinals in 1945. Caray was with the Cardinals for 25 years until fired for allegedly having an extra-martial affair with the daughter-in-law of the beer sponsor of the Cardinal games. He then signed on with the Oakland Athletics but friction between Caray and owner Charlie Finley resulted in a one year stand. Caray joined the Chicago White Sox in 1971 where he and Jim Piersall were a popular team.

When WGN in Chicago became a 'super-station' and was found on most early cable television systems, he was lured to the Northside to broadcast the Cub games thus becoming one of the most recognizable voices and images. Each seventh inning he lead the fans in "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", continued to shout "Holy Cow" for home runs and great plays, and to mispronounce the names of ballplayers (i.e. Jason Isringhausen as "Jason....Ice-ring-hoisen)." All of which endeared him to fans. He once suffered a stroke but came back in two months.

7. What renowned piano player, singer, personality and sometimes actor said this about composing music? "Never play anything that don't sound right. You might not make any money, but at least you won't get hostile with yourself".

Answer: Hoagy Carmichael

Hoagy Carmichael graduated from Law School at the University of Indiana but turned to music as his career. He composed many classic standards including "Stardust", "Georgia On My Mind", "The Nearness of You", and "Heart and Soul", all of which have been recorded many times by many artists.

He won an Academy award in 1951 for "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening". He appeared in thirteen motion pictures with his most famous scene playing the piano duet with Harold Russell, a World War Two amputee.

8. What Latin-American leader had this to say about the future of capitalism? "My idea, as the whole world knows, is that the capitalist system now doesn't work either for the United States or the world, driving it from crisis to crisis, which are each time more serious."

Answer: Fidel Castro

In 1959 when Fidel Castro rolled into Havana to free Cuba from the oppression of the corrupt previous governments, he was hailed a fresh voice and leader for an oppressed people. As time passed the realization that Castro was a devout communist became apparent as made many socialist reforms and thus became a perceived threat for its neighboring nations.

In 1961 an ill conceived attempt by the USA to depose Castro resulted in the Bay of Pigs disaster. Later, the Cuban Missile Crisis came about when the USSR tried to establish a missile base in Cuba to balance out Missile bases that the US had established in Turkey which nearly brought the Cold War into a hot one. Castro still remains the figurehead leader of Cuba although he has turned many duties and responsibilities over to others.

9. What brilliant scientist and Nobel Prize winner had this to say about scientific research? "A scientist in his laboratory is not a mere technician: he is also a child confronting natural phenomena that impress him as though they were fairy tales." (Hint: radium)

Answer: Marie Curie

Curie won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1911. She and her husband donated the prize money to needy students. Her study of radium was a breakthrough in scientific thought. A 1943 film, "Madame Curie" was based on her life and starred Greer Garson as Marie and Walter Pidgeon as Pierre Curie.

10. What early 19th century poet had this to say about the role of the poet? "A poet ought not to pick nature's pocket. Let him borrow, and so borrow as to repay by the very act of borrowing. Examine nature accurately, but write from recollection, and trust more to the imagination than the memory." (Hint: old sailor, a bird, and a palace)

Answer: Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Every high school student has probably dealt with both "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and "Kubla Khan", two his most familiar poems. Coleridge suffered from mental illness complicated by probable drug addition. His works are highly imaginative. The imagery of the albatross from "Rime" and Xanadu from "Kubla Khan" have entered the language.

Source: Author Rehaberpro

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Quotes Part Three Trivia Quiz

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