“for it is not having insufficient knowledge, but persisting a long time in insufficient knowledge that is shameful; since the one is assumed to be a disease common to all, but the other is assumed to be a flaw to an individual.”

—  Marcus Tullius Cicero , De Inventione

De Inventione, Section 2.9.3
Variant: Any man can make mistakes, but only a fool persists in his error.

Original

non enim parum cognosse, sed in parum cognito stulte et diu perseverasse turpe est, propterea quod alterum communi hominum infirmitati alterum singulari cuiusque vitio est attributum.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

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Marcus Tullius Cicero photo
Marcus Tullius Cicero 180
Roman philosopher and statesman -106–-43 BC

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