Philip Sidney
Philip Sidney
Sir Philip Sidneywas an English poet, courtier, scholar, and soldier, who is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the Elizabethan age. His works include Astrophel and Stella, The Defence of Poesy, and The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth30 November 1554
war teaching heaven
So, then, the best of the historian is subject to the poet; for whatsoever action or faction, whatsoever counsel, policy, or war-stratagem the historian is bound to recite, that may the poet, if he list, with his imitation make his own, beautifying it both for further teaching and more delighting, as it pleaseth him; having all, from Dante’s Heaven to his Hell, under the authority of his pen.
past men thinking
Fearfulness, contrary to all other vices, maketh a man think the better of another, the worse of himself.
sweet knowledge
Sweet food of sweetly uttered knowledge.
men faults virtue
Men are almost always cruel in their neighbors' faults; and make others' overthrow the badge of their own ill-masked virtue.
thinking giving charity
There is no dearth of charity in the world in giving, but there is comparatively little exercised in thinking and speaking.
war law soldier
Indeed, the Roman laws allowed no person to be carried to the wars but he that was in the soldiers roll.
men vanity may
Every present occasion will catch the senses of the vain man; and with that bridle and saddle you may ride him.
thinking
Thinking nurseth thinking.
character men evil
There is no man suddenly either excellently good or extremely evil, but grows either as he holds himself up in virtue or lets himself slide to viciousness.
love wings burden
Love, one time, layeth burdens; another time, giveth wings.
men ancestry birth
What is birth to a man if it shall be a stain to his dead ancestors to have left such an offspring?
fear painful cowardice
Fear is far more painful to cowardice than death to true courage.
art eye evil
Reason! how many eyes hast thou to see evils, and how dim, nay, blind, thou art in preventing them.
men errors remember
Remember always, that man is a creature whose reason is often darkened with error.