“Dionysius the Elder, being asked whether he was at leisure, he replied, "God forbid that it should ever befall me!"”

—  Plutarch

32 Dionysius
Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders

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

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Dionysius the Elder, being asked whether he was at leisure, he replied, "God forbid that it should ever befall me!"" by Plutarch?
Plutarch photo
Plutarch 251
ancient Greek historian and philosopher 46–127

Related quotes

Diogenes Laërtius photo

“Being asked whether it was better to marry or not, he replied, "Whichever you do, you will repent it."”

Diogenes Laërtius (180–240) biographer of ancient Greek philosophers

Socrates, 16.
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (c. 200 A.D.), Book 2: Socrates, his predecessors and followers

Kurt Vonnegut photo

“If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC”

Kurt Vonnegut (1922–2007) American writer

As quoted in "Vonnegut's Blues For America" Sunday Herald (7 January 2006)
Various interviews

Ja'far al-Sadiq photo

“When a man asked him whether God coerced his bondsmen to sin. Al-Sadiq replied "Allah is more just than to make them commit misdeeds then chastise them for what they have done." The man further asked, "Has he empowered them with their actions?" al-Sadiq said, "If He had delegated it to them, He would have not confined them to enjoining good and forbidding evil." The man further asked, "Is there a station or a position between the two?"”

Ja'far al-Sadiq (702–765) Muslim religious person

The Imam said, "Yes, wider than [the space] between the heaven and the earth."
Views on free will
Source: [Nasr & Leaman, The History of Islamic Philosophy, February 1, 1996, Routledge, 978-0415056670, 256-257, 1, http://www.amazon.com/History-Islamic-Philosophy-Routledge-Philosophies/dp/0415056675]

Robert Maynard Hutchins photo
Marcus Tullius Cicero photo

“According to Cato the Elder, Scipio Africanus was wont to say that he was never less at leisure than when at leisure, nor less alone than when alone.”
P. Scipionem [...] dicere solitum scripsit Cato [...] numquam se minus otiosum esse, quam cum otiosus; nec minus solum, quam cum solus esset.

Marcus Tullius Cicero (-106–-43 BC) Roman philosopher and statesman

Book III, section 1
De Officiis – On Duties (44 BC)

Plutarch photo

“When Demaratus was asked whether he held his tongue because he was a fool or for want of words, he replied, "A fool cannot hold his tongue."”

Plutarch (46–127) ancient Greek historian and philosopher

Of Demaratus
Laconic Apophthegms

Lloyd Kenyon, 1st Baron Kenyon photo
Rashi photo

“God knew where he was, but he asked so as to start a conversation with Adam and avoid startling him too much to reply.”

Rashi (1040–1105) French rabbi and commentator

Commenting on Gen. 3:9; why should an omniscient God ask "Where are you?"
Commentary on Genesis

Diogenes of Sinope photo

“Being asked where in Greece he saw good men, he replied, "'Good men nowhere, but good boys at Sparta."”

Diogenes of Sinope (-404–-322 BC) ancient Greek philosopher, one of the founders of the Cynic philosophy

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 27
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

Diogenes of Sinope photo

“He was seized and dragged off to King Philip, and being asked who he was, replied, "A spy upon your insatiable greed."”

Diogenes of Sinope (-404–-322 BC) ancient Greek philosopher, one of the founders of the Cynic philosophy

Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 43. Cf. Plutarch, Moralia, 70CD.
Quoted by Diogenes Laërtius

Related topics