“Those who wish to appear wise among fools, among the wise seem foolish.”
Book X, Chapter VII, 21
See also: An X among Ys, a Y among Xs
De Institutione Oratoria (c. 95 AD)
Original
Qui stultis videri eruditi volunt stulti eruditis videntur.
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Quintilian 18
ancient Roman rhetor 35–96Related quotes

“Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.”

“If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.”
1 Corinthians 3:18 (KJV)
First Epistle to the Corinthians

“A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.”

“We are all fools when one wise man appears.”
Homecoming saga, The Call Of Earth (1992)
Source: The True Game, The Flight of Mavin Manyshaped (1985), Chapter 3 (p. 45)

“If it is ones lot to be cast among fools, one must learn foolishness.”
Source: The Count of Monte Cristo

“How I wish that somewhere there existed an island for those who are wise and of good will.”

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