"For I know well what valor is, that it is a virtue that occupies a place between two vicious extremes, cowardice and temerity;
but it will be a lesser evil for him who is valiant to rise till he reaches the point of rashness, than to sink until he reaches the point of cowardice;
for, as it is easier for the prodigal than for the miser to become generous, so it is easier for a rash man to prove truly valiant than for a coward to rise to true valor;
and believe me... in attempting adventures it is better to lose by a card too many than by a card too few;
for to hear it said, 'such a knight is rash and daring,' sounds better than 'such a knight is timid and cowardly.'"