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Plutarch Quotes
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Plutarch , later named, upon becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus, was a Greek 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. Wikipedia  

✵ 46 AC – 127   •   Other names Plútarchos z Chairóneie
Plutarch photo
Plutarch: 251   quotes 14   likes

Plutarch Quotes

“Whenever Alexander heard Philip had taken any town of importance, or won any signal victory, instead of rejoicing at it altogether, he would tell his companions that his father would anticipate everything, and leave him and them no opportunities of performing great and illustrious actions.”

Plutarch

Life of Alexander
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

Victory

“It is no great wonder if in long process of time, while fortune takes her course hither and thither, numerous coincidences should spontaneously occur. If the number and variety of subjects to be wrought upon be infinite, it is all the more easy for fortune, with such an abundance of material, to effect this similarity of results.”

Plutarch

Life of Sertorius
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

Time

“To conduct great matters and never commit a fault is above the force of human nature.”

Plutarch

Life of Fabius
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

Nature

“The very spring and root of honesty and virtue lie in the felicity of lighting on good education.”

Plutarch book Moralia

Moralia, Of the Training of Children
Variant: The very spring and root of honesty and virtue lie in good education.

Lie , Education , Spring , Light

“What meal is not expensive? That for which no animal is put to death. … one participating of feeling, of seeing, of hearing, of imagination, and of intellection; which each animal hath received from Nature for the acquiring of what is agreeable to it, and the avoiding what is disagreeable.”

Plutarch book Moralia

II, 3
Moralia, Of Eating of Flesh

Death , Feeling , Imagination , Nature

“I, for my own part, had much rather people should say of me that there neither is nor ever was such a man as Plutarch, than that they should say, "Plutarch is an unsteady, fickle, froward, vindictive, and touchy fellow."”

Plutarch

Of Superstition
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

People , Parting

“Eat not thy heart; which forbids to afflict our souls, and waste them with vexatious cares.”

Plutarch book Moralia

Moralia, Of the Training of Children

Soul , Affliction , Heart

“And Archimedes, as he was washing, thought of a manner of computing the proportion of gold in King Hiero's crown by seeing the water flowing over the bathing-stool. He leaped up as one possessed or inspired, crying, "I have found it! Eureka!"”

Plutarch

Pleasure not attainable according to Epicurus, 11
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

Water , Cry

“Pyrrhus said, "If I should overcome the Romans in another fight, I were undone."”

Plutarch

47 Pyrrhus
Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders

Fight

“Cicero called Aristotle a river of flowing gold, and said of Plato's Dialogues, that if Jupiter were to speak, it would be in language like theirs.”

Plutarch

Life of Cicero
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“If it were not my purpose to combine foreign things with things Greek, to traverse and civilize every continent, to search out the uttermost parts of land and sea, to push the bounds of Macedonia to the farthest Ocean, and to disseminate and shower the blessings of Greek justice and peace over every nation, I should not content to sit quietly in the luxury of idle power, but I should emulate the frugality of Diogenes. But as things are, forgive me Diogenes, that I imitate Herakles, and emulate Perseus, and follow in the footsteps of Dionysos, the divine author and progenitor of my family, and desire that victorious Greeks should dance again in India and revive the memory of the Bacchic revels among the savage mountain tribes beyond the Kaukasos…”

Plutarch book Moralia

On the Fortune of Alexander, I, 332A Loeb, F.C Babbitt
Moralia, Others

Family , Peace , Justice , Search

“A soldier told Pelopidas, "We are fallen among the enemies." Said he, "How are we fallen among them more than they among us?"”

Plutarch

63 Pelopidas
Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders

“King Agis said, "The Lacedæmonians are not wont to ask how many, but where the enemy are."”

Plutarch

58 Agis
Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders

“As it is in the proverb, played Cretan against Cretan.”

Plutarch

Life of Lysander
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Diogenes the Cynic, when a little before his death he fell into a slumber, and his physician rousing him out of it asked him whether anything ailed him, wisely answered, "Nothing, sir; only one brother anticipates another,—Sleep before Death."”

Plutarch

Consolation to Apollonius

Death , Sleep

“Be ruled by time, the wisest counsellor of all.”

Plutarch book Parallel Lives

Parallel Lives, Pericles

Time

“He was a man, which, as Plato saith, is a very inconstant creature.”

Plutarch

On the Tranquillity of the Mind
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Medicine, to produce health, has to examine disease; and music, to create harmony, must investigate discord.”

Plutarch book Parallel Lives

Demetrius, sec. 1
Parallel Lives

Health , Disease , Music

“These Macedonians," said he, "are a rude and clownish people, that call a spade a spade.”

Plutarch

39 Philip
Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders

People

“Valour, however unfortunate, commands great respect even from enemies: but the Romans despise cowardice, even though it be prosperous.”

Plutarch book Parallel Lives

Aemilius, sec. 26
Parallel Lives

“When men are arrived at the goal, they should not turn back.”

Plutarch book Moralia

Moralia, Of the Training of Children

Men

“A traveller at Sparta, standing long upon one leg, said to a Lacedæmonian, "I do not believe you can do as much." "True," said he, "but every goose can."”

Plutarch

Remarkable Speeches
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

Travel

“It is a difficult task, O citizens, to make speeches to the belly, which has no ears.”

Plutarch

Life of Marcus Cato
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“When he was wounded with an arrow in the ankle, and many ran to him that were wont to call him a god, he said smiling, "That is blood, as you see, and not, as Homer saith, ‘such humour as distils from blessed gods.'"”

Plutarch

43 Alexander
Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders

God , Smile

“As Athenodorus was taking his leave of Cæsar, "Remember," said he, "Cæsar, whenever you are angry, to say or do nothing before you have repeated the four-and-twenty letters to yourself."”

Plutarch

Cæsar Augustus
Roman Apophthegms

“Themistocles being asked whether he would rather be Achilles or Homer, said, "Which would you rather be,—a conqueror in the Olympic games, or the crier that proclaims who are conquerors?"”

Plutarch

48 Themistocles
Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders

Game

“It was the saying of Bion, that though the boys throw stones at frogs in sport, yet the frogs do not die in sport but in earnest.”

Plutarch

Which are the most crafty, Water or Land Animals?, 7
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

Boy , Sport

“The correct analogy for the mind is not a vessel that needs filling, but wood that needs igniting — no more — and then it motivates one towards originality and instills the desire for truth. Suppose someone were to go and ask his neighbors for fire and find a substantial blaze there, and just stay there continually warming himself: that is no different from someone who goes to someone else to get to some of his rationality, and fails to realize that he ought to ignite his own flame, his own intellect, but is happy to sit entranced by the lecture, and the words trigger only associative thinking and bring, as it were, only a flush to his cheeks and a glow to his limbs; but he has not dispelled or dispersed, in the warm light of philosophy, the internal dank gloom of his mind.”

Plutarch book Moralia

οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἀγγεῖον ὁ νοῦς ἀποπληρώσεως ἀλλ' ὑπεκκαύματος μόνον ὥσπερ ὕλη δεῖται ὁρμὴν ἐμποιοῦντος εὑρετικὴν καὶ ὄρεξιν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν. ὥσπερ οὖν εἴ τις ἐκ γειτόνων πυρὸς δεόμενος, εἶτα πολὺ καὶ λαμπρὸν εὑρὼν αὐτοῦ καταμένοι διὰ τέλους θαλπόμενος, οὕτως εἴ τις ἥκων λόγου μεταλαβεῖν πρὸς ἄλλον οὐχ οἴεται δεῖν φῶς οἰκεῖον ἐξάπτειν καὶ νοῦν ἴδιον, ἀλλὰ χαίρων τῇ ἀκροάσει κάθηται θελγόμενος, οἷον ἔρευθος ἕλκει καὶ γάνωμα τὴν δόξαν ἀπὸ τῶν λόγων, τὸν δ᾽ ἐντὸς: εὐρῶτα τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ ζόφον οὐκ ἐκτεθέρμαγκεν οὐδ᾽ ἐξέωκε διὰ φιλοσοφίας.
On Listening to Lectures, Plutarch, Moralia 48C (variously called De auditione Philosophorum or De Auditu or De Recta Audiendi Ratione)
Moralia, Others

Truth , Motivation , Thinking , Light

“Socrates thought that if all our misfortunes were laid in one common heap, whence every one must take an equal portion, most persons would be contented to take their own and depart.”

Plutarch

Consolation to Apollonius

Personality

“One made the observation of the people of Asia that they were all slaves to one man, merely because they could not pronounce that syllable No.”

Plutarch

Of Bashfulness
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

People

“When Darius offered him ten thousand talents, and to divide Asia equally with 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 not bear two suns, nor Asia two kings.”

Plutarch

42 Alexander
Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders

Sun

“By these criteria let Alexander also be judged! For from his words, from his deeds, and from the instruction' which he imparted, it will be seen that he was indeed a philosopher.”

Plutarch book Moralia

On the Fortune Of Alexander, I, 4, 328B Loeb, F.C. Babbitt
Moralia, Others

“It is wise to be silent when occasion requires, and better than to speak, though never so well.”

Plutarch book Moralia

Moralia, Of the Training of Children

“A Roman divorced from his wife, being highly blamed by his friends, who demanded, "Was she not chaste? Was she not fair? Was she not fruitful?" holding out his shoe, asked them whether it was not new and well made. "Yet," added he, "none of you can tell where it pinches me."”

Plutarch book Parallel Lives

Aemilius Paulus, sec. 29
Parallel Lives

Shoe

“These are the materials for reflection which history affords to those who choose to make use of them.”

Plutarch book Parallel Lives

Aemilius, sec. 5
Parallel Lives

History

“Scilurus on his death-bed, being about to leave four-score sons surviving, offered a bundle of darts to each of them, and bade them break them. When all refused, drawing out one by one, he easily broke them,—thus teaching them that if they held together, they would continue strong; but if they fell out and were divided, they would become weak.”

Plutarch

31 Scilurus
Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders

Death , Strong , Drawing

“For water continually dropping will wear hard rocks hollow.”

Plutarch book Moralia

Moralia, Of the Training of Children

Water

“Alexander said, "I assure you I had rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent, than in the extent of my power and dominion."”

Plutarch

Life of Alexander
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

Knowledge

“Athenodorus says hydrophobia, or water-dread, was first discovered in the time of Asclepiades.”

Plutarch

Symposiacs, book viii. Question IX
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

Water , Time

“And this," said Cæsar, "you know, young man, is more disagreeable for me to say than to do.”

Plutarch book Parallel Lives

Parallel Lives, Caesar

“Thrasyllus the Cynic begged a drachm of Antigonus. "That," said he, "is too little for a king to give." "Why, then," said the other, "give me a talent." "And that," said he, "is too much for a Cynic (or, for a dog) to receive."”

Plutarch

45 Antigonus I
Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders

Dogs

“Being nimble and light-footed, his father encouraged him to run in the Olympic race. "Yes," said he, "if there were any kings there to run with me."”

Plutarch

41 Alexander
Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders

Light

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

Plutarch

Cæsar
Roman Apophthegms

“Socrates said he was not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.”

Plutarch

Of Banishment
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
Variant: Socrates said he was not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.

World

“Themistocles said that a man's discourse was like to a rich Persian carpet, the beautiful figures and patterns of which can be shown only by spreading and extending it out; when it is contracted and folded up, they are obscured and lost.”

Plutarch

Life of Themistocles

Beauty

“When one asked him what boys should learn, "That," said he, "which they shall use when men."”

Plutarch

Of Agesilaus the Great
Laconic Apophthegms

Men , Boy , Learning

“Agesilaus was very fond of his children; and it is reported that once toying with them he got astride upon a reed as upon a horse, and rode about the room; and being seen by one of his friends, he desired him not to speak of it till he had children of his own.”

Plutarch

Of Agesilaus the Great
Laconic Apophthegms

Children , Horse

“Both Empedocles and Heraclitus held it for a truth that man could not be altogether cleared from injustice in dealing with beasts as he now does.”

Plutarch

Which are the most crafty, Water or Land Animals?, 7
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

Truth

“Are you not ashamed to mix tame fruits with blood and slaughter? You are indeed wont to call serpents, leopards, and lions savage creatures; but yet yourselves are defiled with blood, and come nothing behind them in cruelty. What they kill is their ordinary nourishment, but what you kill is your better fare.”

Plutarch book Moralia

I, 2
Moralia, Of Eating of Flesh