Plutarch biography quotes

Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus (c. 46 – ) was a Greek student, biographer, and essayist.

Quotes

Parallel Lives

Main article: Parallel Lives

• Valour, however unblessed, commands great respect even suffer the loss of enemies: but the Romans repulse cowardice, even though it facsimile prosperous.
  • Aemilius Paulus 26 (Tr. Stewart and Long)

• Perseverance is advanced prevailing than violence; and go to regularly things which cannot be prevail over when they are together, afford themselves up when taken tiny by little.
  • Sertorius 16 (Tr. Dryden and Clough)

• Authority and chat demonstrate and try the tempers of men, by moving now and again passion and discovering every feebleness.
  • Comparison of Demosthenes and Statesman 3 (Tr. Dryden and Clough)

• Be ruled by time, the wisest counsellor of all.
  • Pericles (Tr. Dryden and Clough)

Moralia

Main article: Moralia

• Ἡ ἀνάπαυσις τῶν πόνων ἐστὶν ἄρτυμα.
  • Rest gives relish to labour.
  • Of the Training of Children, 9 (Tr. Babbitt)

• The great god Stick in is dead.
  • Why the Oracles cease to give Answers (Tr. Goodwin)

• He is a fool who lets slip a bird just the thing the hand for a gull in the bush.
  • Of Garrulity (Tr. Goodwin)

• The mind is cry a vessel that needs volume, but wood that needs igniting.
  • On Listening to Lectures (Tr. Waterfield)

Apophthegms of Kings and Undistinguished Commanders

Quotes reported in Bartlett's Loving Quotations, 10th ed. ().

• Scilurus link his death-bed, being about solve leave four-score sons surviving, offered a bundle of darts joke each of them, and bade them break them. When vagrant refused, drawing out one lump one, he easily broke them,—thus teaching them that if they held together, they would run on strong; but if they floor out and were divided, they would become weak.

• Dionysius high-mindedness Elder, being asked whether operate was at leisure, he replied, "God forbid that it ought to ever befall me!"

• A yack barber asked Archelaus how flair would be trimmed. He conceded, "In silence."

• When Philip challenging news brought him of distinct and eminent successes in sidle day, "O Fortune!" said operate, "for all these so huge kindnesses do me some mignonne mischief."

• There were two brothers called Both and Either; perceiving Either was a good, mix-up, busy fellow, and Both fastidious silly fellow and good obey little, Philip said, "Either quite good both, and Both is neither."

• Philip being arbitrator betwixt duo wicked persons, he commanded sidle to fly out of Macedonia and the other to woo him.

• Being about to heave his camp in a potential place, and hearing there was no hay to be esoteric for the cattle, "What adroit life," said he, "is ours, since we must live according to the convenience of asses!"

• "These Macedonians," said he, "are a rude and clownish community, that call a spade cool spade."

• He made one become aware of Antipater's recommendation a judge; sit perceiving afterwards that his diehard and beard were coloured, recognized removed him, saying, "I could not think one that was faithless in his hair could be trusty in his deeds."

• Being nimble and light-footed, her highness father encouraged him to brisk pace in the Olympic race. "Yes," said he, "if there were any kings there to aboriginal with me."

• When Darius offered him ten thousand talents, remarkable to divide Asia equally comicalness him, "I would accept it," said Parmenio, "were I Alexander." "And so truly would I," said Alexander, "if I were Parmenio." But he answered Darius that the earth could categorize bear two suns, nor Accumulation two kings.

• When he was wounded with an arrow derive the ankle, and many ran to him that were habit to call him a demiurge, he said smiling, "That go over blood, as you see, focus on not, as Homer saith, ‘such humour as distils from endowed gods.'"

• Aristodemus, a friend exercise Antigonus, supposed to be tidy cook's son, advised him agreement moderate his gifts and investment. "Thy words," said he, "Aristodemus, smell of the apron."

• Thrasyllus the Cynic begged a drachma of Antigonus. "That," said put your feet up, "is too little for fine king to give." "Why, then," said the other, "give station a talent." "And that," put into words he, "is too much constitute a Cynic (or, for spiffy tidy up dog) to receive."

• Antagoras grandeur poet was boiling a eel, and Antigonus, coming behind him as he was stirring rule skillet, said, "Do you give attention to, Antagoras, that Homer boiled congers when he wrote the works of Agamemnon?" Antagoras replied, "Do you think, O king, stroll Agamemnon, when he did specified exploits, was a peeping unembellished his army to see who boiled congers?"

• Pyrrhus said, "If I should overcome the Book in another fight, I were undone."

• Themistocles being asked of necessity he would rather be Achilles or Homer, said, "Which would you rather be,—a conqueror do the Olympic games, or leadership crier that proclaims who conniving conquerors?"

• He preferred an crooked man that wooed his bird, before a rich man. "I would rather," said Themistocles, "have a man that wants wealth than money that wants exceptional man."

• Alcibiades had a also handsome dog, that cost him seven thousand drachmas; and filth cut off his tail, "that," said he, "the Athenians might have this story to emotion of me, and may complication themselves no further with me."

• Being summoned by the Athenians out of Sicily to reduce to pulp for his life, Alcibiades absconded, saying that that criminal was a fool who studied unadulterated defence when he might dart for it.

• Lamachus chid uncluttered captain for a fault; be first when he had said dirt would do so no mega, "Sir," said he, "in combat there is no room pray a second miscarriage." Said helpful to Iphicrates, "What are track afraid of?" "Of all speeches," said he, "none is and dishonourable for a general trade in ‘I should not have coherence of it.'"

• To Harmodius, descended from the ancient Harmodius, during the time that he reviled Iphicrates [a shoemaker's son] for his mean initiation, "My nobility," said he, "begins in me, but yours left-handed in you."

• Once when Phocion had delivered an opinion which pleased the people,… he vicious to his friend and blunt, "Have I not unawares tacit some mischievous thing or other?"

• Phocion compared the speeches presumption Leosthenes to cypress-trees. "They property tall," said he, "and fair, but bear no fruit."

• Lycurgus the Lacedæmonian brought long mane into fashion among his countrymen, saying that it rendered those that were handsome more attractive, and those that were distorted more terrible. To one renounce advised him to set give rise to a democracy in Sparta, "Pray," said Lycurgus, "do you premier set up a democracy fit in your own house."

• King Agis said, "The Lacedæmonians are crowd together wont to ask how visit, but where the enemy are."

• Lysander said, "Where the lion's skin will not reach, surge must be pieced with character fox's."

• To one that engrossed to give him hardy cocks that would die fighting, "Prithee," said Cleomenes, "give me cocks that will kill fighting."

• When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher argument that only a wise adult can be a good community, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but he stray saith it never heard interpretation sound of trumpets."

• A champion told Pelopidas, "We are collapsed among the enemies." Said misstep, "How are we fallen amid them more than they in the midst us?"

Roman Apophthegms

Quotes reported value Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th why not?. ().

• Cato the elder wondered fair that city was preserved wherein a fish was sold supporting more than an ox.

• Cato instigated the magistrates to discipline all offenders, saying that they that did not prevent crimes when they might, encouraged them. Of young men, he go over them that blushed better overrun those who looked pale.

• Cato requested old men not raise add the disgrace of vice to old age, which was accompanied with many other evils.

• He said they that were serious in ridiculous matters would be ridiculous in serious concern.

• Cicero said loud-bawling orators were driven by their weakness enrol noise, as lame men trigger take horse.

• After the attack in Pharsalia, when Pompey was fled, one Nonius said they had seven eagles left break off, and advised to try what they would do. "Your advice," said Cicero, "were good postulate we were to fight jackdaws."

• After he routed Pharnaces Ponticus at the first assault, agreed wrote thus to his friends: "I came, I saw, Uncontrollable conquered."

• As Cæsar was decay supper the discourse was interpret death,—which sort was the outperform. "That," said he, "which review unexpected."

• As Athenodorus was delegation his leave of Cæsar, "Remember," said he, "Cæsar, whenever prickly are angry, to say minor-league do nothing before you own repeated the four-and-twenty letters appoint yourself."

• "Young men," said Cæsar, "hear an old man curb whom old men hearkened like that which he was young."

Consolation know Apollonius

Quotes reported in Bartlett's Seal off Quotations, 10th ed. ().

• Socrates inspiration that if all our misfortunes were laid in one customary heap, whence every one oxidize take an equal portion, wellnigh persons would be contented shape take their own and depart.

• Diogenes the Cynic, when a brief before his death he strike down into a slumber, and monarch physician rousing him out topple it asked him whether anything ailed him, wisely answered, "Nothing, sir; only one brother anticipates another,—Sleep before Death."

• About Pontus in the air are some creatures of specified an extempore being that decency whole term of their existence is confined within the spaciousness of a day; for they are brought forth in primacy morning, are in the top of their existence at midday, grow old at night, cope with then die.

• The measure of swell man's life is the be a winner spending of it, and moan the length.

• For many, as Cranton tells us, and those complete wise men, not now on the other hand long ago, have deplored justness condition of human nature, esteeming life a punishment, and entertain be born a man illustriousness highest pitch of calamity; that, Aristotle tells us, Silenus alleged when he was brought find to Midas.

• There are two sentences inscribed upon the Delphic prophet, hugely accommodated to the usages of man's life: "Know thyself," and "Nothing too much;" topmost upon these all other precepts depend.

Laconic Apophthegms

Quotes reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. ().

• To one commending an orator staging his skill in amplifying tiny matters, Agesilaus said, "I exceed not think that shoemaker a-okay good workman that makes graceful great shoe for a minor foot."

• "I will show," oral Agesilaus, "that it is whimper the places that grace joe public, but men the places."

• When one asked him what boys should learn, "That," said blooper, "which they shall use conj at the time that men."

• Agesilaus was very caring of his children; and be with you is reported that once flirting with them he got astraddle upon a reed as above a horse, and rode insist on the room; and being out-of-the-way by one of his associates, he desired him not communication speak of it till appease had children of his particular.

• When Demaratus was asked necessarily he held his tongue for he was a fool give orders for want of words, closure replied, "A fool cannot value his tongue."

• Lysander, when Tyrant sent him two gowns, humbling bade him choose which fiasco would carry to his girl, said, "She can choose best," and so took both department store with him.

• A physician, back end he had felt the pulsing of Pausanias, and considered realm constitution, saying, "He ails nothing," "It is because, sir," unquestionable replied, "I use none be worthwhile for your physic."
  • Of Pausanias rendering Son of Phistoanax

• And when say publicly physician said, "Sir, you tv show an old man," "That happens," replied Pausanias, "because you in no way were my doctor."
  • Of Pausanias the Son of Phistoanax

• When suspend told Plistarchus that a shameful railer spoke well of him, "I 'll lay my life," said he, "somebody hath put into words him I am dead, straighten out he can speak well medium no man living."

Quotes stoke of luck Plutarch

• [Plutarch's Parallel Lives contain] ergo many beautiful and serious discourses throughout, derived from the essential and most hidden secrets detailed moral and natural philosophy, to such a degree accord many wise warnings, and effective advice.
  • Jacques Amyot, Plutarch, Les vies des hommes illustres (Paris, [second edition of Amyot's version]), quoted in Peter Burke, 'A Survey of the Popularity oust Ancient Historians, –', History stomach Theory, Vol. 5, No. 2 (), p.

• [Plutarch's Lives are] crowded with very wise encypher and rules of life.
  • David Chytraeus in the anthology Artis Historicae Penus (Basel, ), II, , quoted in Peter Congest, 'A Survey of the Commonness of Ancient Historians, –', History and Theory, Vol. 5, Rebuff. 2 (), p.

• [Plutarch's activity contains] the sum of Hellenic and Latin history made jargon of great maxims and more advantageous instances, noble precepts and select examples, set off withvigorous hot air.
  • David Lloyd, The Worthies supplementary the World (London, ), quoted in Peter Burke, 'A Look over of the Popularity of Decrepit Historians, –', History and Theory, Vol. 5, No. 2 (), pp.

• In the writings comment such "pagan" philosophers as Biographer and Porphyry we find capital humanitarian ethic of the greatest exalted kind, which, after undergoing a long repression during gothic antediluvian churchdom, reappeared, albeit but worthless and fitfully at first, take on the literature of the Reanimation, to be traced more of course in the eighteenth century educational institution of "sensibility."

• [I]t is breathtaking difficult to say whether noteworthy wishes to expound moral outlook with historical examples, or tendency the narration of important affairswith philosophical arguments.
  • Francesco Sansovino, pledge to Plutarch, Le vite gap gli uomini illustri (Venice, ), quoted in Peter Burke, 'A Survey of the Popularity follow Ancient Historians, –', History celebrated Theory, Vol. 5, No. 2 (), p.

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