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
cost flattery listeners
Learn that every flatterer Lives at the flattered listeners cost.
god doe wells
What God does, He does well.
fool opinion imitation
Imitators are a slavish herd and fools in my opinion. [Fr., C'est un betail servile et sot a mon avis Que les imitateurs.]
hares caught caution
A hare is not caught with a drum.
good-friend desire wonderful
What a wonderful thing it is to have a good friend. He identifies your innermost desires, and spares you the embarrassment of disclosing them to him yourself.
human-nature expenses flatterer
Be advised that all flatterers live at the expense of those who listen to them.
different comedy hundred
Une ample Come die a' cent actes divers, Et dont la sce' ne est l'Univers. A grand comedy in one hundred different acts, On the stage of the universe.
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.
break
I bend, but I do not break.
worst-times worst
The worst time is always the present.
change blow fonts
Neither blows from pitchfork, nor from the lash, can make him change his ways. [Fr., Coups de fourches ni d'etriveres, Ne lui font changer de manieres.]
complaining jupiter should
Our condition never satisfies us; the present is always the worst. Though Jupiter should grant his request to each, we should continue to importune him.
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.