To be a coward
Examples
It takes a brave man to be a coward in the Red Army.
I would rather be free in my mind, and be locked up in a prison cell, than to be a coward and not be able to say what I want.
Because no man wants to be a coward in front of a cheese.
It is better to be a coward for a minute than dead the rest of your life.
Tis better to be a coward than fool-hardie.