Ruthlessness (redirected from ruthless)

Ruthlessness

See also Brutality, Cruelty, Heartlessness.

Borgia, Cesare

(1476–1507) prototype of Machiavelli’s “Prince”: intelligent and ruthlessly opportunistic. [Ital. Hist.: Plumb, 59]

Caligula

(12–41) Roman emperor known for terror and cruel autocracy. [Rom. Hist.: NCE, 425]

Ivan the Terrible

(1533–1584) his reign was characterized by murder and terror. [Russ. Hist.: EB, 9: 1179–1180]

Larsen, Wolf

captain of the Ghost; terrorizes his crew. [Am. Lit.: London The Sea Wolf in Magill I, 874]

Nero

(37–68) demented Roman emperor; initiated persecutions against the Christians. [Rom. Hist.: NCE, 1909]

Robespierre, Maximilien Marie Isidore

(1758–1794) architect of the Reign of Terror (1793–1794). [Fr. Hist.: EB, 15: 907–910]

Snopes

family of unscrupulous climbers, horse thieves, lechers, and murderers in Faulkner novels. [Am. Lit.: Benét, 940]

Snopes, Flem

works his way up from obscurity to riches by ruining all his associates and relatives. [Am. Lit.: Wm. Faulkner The Hamlet in Magill II, 398, The Town in Magill III, 1074, and The Mansion in Magill IV, 591]

Vathek

sacrifices children, seduces a betrothed girl, and commits many other crimes to satisfy his desires. [Br. Lit.: Vathek in Magill II, 1095]