Plutarch Quotes
I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better.
To offer objections against a discourse is not difficult; to set up a better discourse against it is a laborious task.
The whole life of man is but a point of time; let us enjoy it, therefore, while it lasts, and not spend it to no purpose.
Only the mind grows young with increased years; time which takes away everything else adds wisdom to old age.
All men whilst they are awake are in one common world: but each of them, when he is asleep, is in a world of his own.
Children are to be won to follow liberal studies by exhortations and rational motives, and on no account to be forced thereto by whipping.
While we take pains that children should eat with the right hand, we take no pains that they should hear the right instruction.
To make no mistakes is not in the power of man; but from their errors and mistakes the wise and good learn wisdom for the future.
A man dying from consumption asked Philotimus for something to cure a sore finger: My dear sir, your concern is not about a sore finger.
Supreme good fortune extinguishes envy; it is unlikely anyone envied Alexander or Cyrus once they had become masters of the world.
It is worse to be sick in soul than to be sick in body, because men with afflicted bodies only suffer, whereas those sick in soul both suffer and do ill.
Flattery does not attend upon poor, obscure or unimportant persons, but makes itself an obstacle and pestilence to great houses and great affairs.
Empire may be gained by gold, not gold by empire. It used, indeed, to be a proverb that "It is not Philip, but Philip's gold that takes the cities of Greece."
He that first started that doctrine, that knavery is the best defense against a knave, was but an ill teacher, advising us to commit wickedness to secure ourselves.
It is the easiest thing in the world to find fault with one's neighbour and it is also a useless proceeding unless we apply it to correcting or avoiding similar faults.
Perseverance is more prevailing than violence; and many things which cannot be overcome when they are together, yield themselves up when taken little by little.
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.
A remorseful change of mind renders even a noble action base, whereas the determination which is grounded on knowledge and reason cannot change even if its actions fail.
Indifference ruins good natural endowment, whereas instruction amends a poor one; easy things escape the careless and difficult things are conquered by careful application.
Everyone ought to pay attention to both words and actions to be sure their usefulness prevails over ostentation and that their tone is of truth rather than display.
Friendship seeks a fixed and steadfast character which does not shift about, but continues in one place and in one intimacy. For this reason a steadfast friend is rare and hard to find.
It is not reasonable that he who does not shoot should hit the mark, nor that he who does not stand fast at his post should win the day, or that the helpless man should succeed or the coward prosper.
If any man think it a small matter, or of mean concernment, to bridle his tongue, he is much mistaken: for it is a point to be silent when occasion requires, and better than to speak, though never so well.
So that we might acquire a habit of mind that is deeply trained and philosophic, rather than the sophistic that merely acquires information, let us believe that right listening is the beginning of right living.
Where a man is successful we must reflect that his success is not due to chance or accident, but to care, diligence, and study, and in this we do well to imitate him in a spirit of admiration and emulation.
If the Truth is a thing divine and the origin of all good for gods and man, then the flatterer is an enemy to the gods, for the flatterer always takes a position against the maxim KNOW THYSELF by deceiving every man against himself.
Thus our judgments, if they do not borrow from reason and philosophy a fixity and steadiness of purpose in their acts, are easily swayed and influenced by the praise or blame of others, which make us distrust our own opinions.
True friendship seeks three things: virtue as a good thing, intimacy as a pleasant thing, usefulness as a necessary thing. A man ought to use judgement before accepting a friend and these requirements stand in the way of having many friends.
A man may be admired for taking vengeance on an enemy when the opportunity occurs, but if he should show compassion for an enemy in affliction or render service to his children, he will be admired by the gods and all good men.
It is a noble act to benefit friends and it is no disgrace to be benefited by them; any favour requires a recipient no less than a giver. He who refuses a favour is like a man who refuses to catch a well directed ball and allows it to fall to the ground.
