pit oneself against

As I have said before, to pit oneself against another's praise and reputation is by no means fitting for a public man: however, in important matters, where mistaken praise is injurious and detrimental, it is not amiss to confute it, or rather to divert the hearer to what is better by showing him the difference between true and false merit.

Ah, no! it does not answer to pit oneself against one’s race, to bid defiance to the fundamental laws of life.”

One did not pit oneself against such human flotsam.