Plutarch
Plutarch
Plutarch; c. AD 46 – AD 120) was a Greek historian, biographer, and essayist, known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia. He is classified as a Middle Platonist. Plutarch's surviving works were written in Greek, but intended for both Greek and Roman readers...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPhilosopher
skins foxes lions
Where the lion's skin will not reach, you must patch it out with the fox's.
perfect long political
So long as he was personally present, [Alcibiades] had the perfect mastery of his political adversaries; calumny only succeeded in his absence.
children study whipping
Children are to be won to follow liberal studies by exhortations and rational motives, and on no account to be forced thereto by whipping.
hands fool
He is a fool who leaves things close at hand to follow what is out of reach.
enemy conquer
Alexander esteemed it more kingly to govern himself than to conquer his enemies.
fate unexpected appearance
Fate, however, is to all appearance more unavoidable than unexpected.
greatness giving mind
Good fortune will elevate even petty minds, and give them the appearance of a certain greatness and stateliness, as from their high place they look down upon the world; but the truly noble and resolved spirit raises itself, and becomes more conspicuous in times of disaster and ill fortune.
character men self
Blinded as they are to their true character by self-love, every man is his own first and chiefest flatterer, prepared, therefore, to welcome the flatterer from the outside, who only comes confirming the verdict of the flatterer within.
able made disgrace
It is no disgrace not to be able to do everything; but to undertake, or pretend to do, what you are not made for, is not only shameful, but extremely troublesome and vexatious.
kings prayer wall
If we traverse the world, it is possible to find cities without walls, without letters, without kings, without wealth, without coin, without schools and theatres; but a city without a temple, or that practiseth not worship, prayer, and the like, no one ever saw.
done may despise
Whenever anything is spoken against you that is not true, do not pass by or despise it because it is false; but forthwith examine yourself, and consider what you have said or done that may administer a just occasion of reproof.
hurtful riches
Riches for the most part are hurtful to them that possess them.
curiosity wish may
Talkativeness has another plague attached to it, even curiosity; for praters wish to hear much that they may have much to say.
death suffering do-not-fear
What can they suffer that do not fear to die?