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
war gale tempest
Fortune had favoured me in this war that I feared, the rather, that some tempest would follow so favourable a gale.
friends needs should
A friend should be like money, tried before being required, not found faulty in our need.
friends real rivalry
Among real friends there is no rivalry or jealousy of one another, but they are satisfied and contented alike whether they are equal or one of them is superior.
friends experts affection
So also it is good not always to make a friend of the person who is expert in twining himself around us; but, after testing them, to attach ourselves to those who are worthy of our affection and likely to be serviceable to us.
friends pain medicine
We ought to give our friend pain if it will benefit him, but not to the extent of breaking off our friendship; but just as we make use of some biting medicine that will save and preserve the life of the patient. And so the friend, like a musician, in bringing about an improvement to what is good and expedient, sometimes slackens the chords, sometimes tightens them, and is often pleasant, but always useful.
friendship heart men
Friendship is the most pleasant of all things, and nothing more glads the heart of man.
friendship character uniforms
Friendship requires a steady, constant, and unchangeable character, a person that is uniform in his intimacy.
daughter two gowns
Lysander, when Dionysius sent him two gowns, and bade him choose which he would carry to his daughter, said, "She can choose best," and so took both away with him.
circumstances wells
He shall fare well who confronts circumstances aright.
should benevolence humankind
Were it only to learn benevolence to humankind, we should be merciful to other creatures.
happiness lying men
We rich men count our felicity and happiness to lie in these superfluities, and not in those necessary things.
might wells breaths
Hesiod might as well have kept his breath to cool his pottage.
pain cures
I see the cure is not worth the pain.
tongue fool
A fool cannot hold his tongue.