Jean de La Fontaine
Jean de La Fontaine
Jean de La Fontainewas the most famous French fabulist and one of the most widely read French poets of the 17th century. He is known above all for his Fables, which provided a model for subsequent fabulists across Europe and numerous alternative versions in France, and in French regional languages...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth8 July 1621
CountryFrance
perseverance persistence brutes
Patience and perseverance at lengthAccomplish more than anger or brute strength.
adversity fool stills
Even if misfortune is only good for bringing a fool to his senses, it would still be just to deem it good for something.
worst-times worst
The worst time is always the present.
dream reality men
Every one turns his dreams into realities as far as he can; man is cold as ice to the truth, hot as fire to falsehood.
folly alas
Alas! we see that the small have always suffered for the follies of the great. [Fr., Helas! on voit que de tout temps Les Petits ont pati des sottises des grands.]