“Abstain from beans; that is, keep out of public offices, for anciently the choice of the officers of state was made by beans.”

—  Plutarch , book Moralia

Moralia, Of the Training of Children

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 "Abstain from beans; that is, keep out of public offices, for anciently the choice of the officers of state was made by …" by Plutarch?
Plutarch photo
Plutarch 251
ancient Greek historian and philosopher 46–127

Related quotes

Pythagoras photo

“Abstain from beans.”

Pythagoras (-585–-495 BC) ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher

Symbol 37; This was long thought by many to be simply a dietary proscription, and often ridiculed, but many consider it to have originally been intended as advice against getting involved in politics, for voting on issues in his time was often done by using differently colored beans. Others have stated that it might signify a more general admonition against relying on the votes of people to determine truths of reality. The explanation provided in the translation used here states: "This Symbol admonishes us to beware of everything which is corruptive of our converse with the gods and divine prophecy."
The Symbols
Variant: Abstain from animals.

Stephen Sondheim photo

“The difference between a cow and a bean is a bean can begin an adventure.”

Stephen Sondheim (1930) American composer and lyricist

Source: Into the Woods

Finley Peter Dunne photo

“Sure, politics ain't bean-bag. 'Tis a man's game, an' women, childer, cripples an' prohybitionists 'd do well to keep out iv it.”

Finley Peter Dunne (1867–1936) author

Chicago Evening Post, October 5, 1895. Excerpted in Finley Peter Dunne and Mr. Dooley: The Chicago Years https://books.google.com/books?id=sbgfBgAAQBAJ&lpg=PA125&dq=%22politics%20ain't%20bean-bag%22&pg=PA125#v=onepage&q=%22politics%20ain't%20bean-bag%22&f=false by Charles Fanning (1978).

Paul Merson photo

“He's hit the beans on toast.”

Paul Merson (1968) English footballer and manager

Interview on Rileys' News http://www.rileys.co.uk/news/240.

Grover Cleveland photo

“Public officers are the servants and agents of the people, to execute the laws which the people have made.”

Grover Cleveland (1837–1908) 22nd and 24th president of the United States

Letter accepting the nomination for governor of New York (October 1882).

Dylan Moran photo
F. Scott Fitzgerald photo
John Holt (Lord Chief Justice) photo

“If public officers will infringe men's rights, they ought to pay greater damages than other men, to deter and hinder other officers from the like offences.”

John Holt (Lord Chief Justice) (1642–1710) English lawyer and Lord Chief Justice of England

Ashby v. White (1703), 2 Raym. 956.
Ashby v. White (1703)

Vince Cable photo

“The House has noticed the Prime Minister's remarkable transformation in the past few weeks from Stalin to Mr. Bean, creating chaos out of order, rather than order out of chaos.”

Vince Cable (1943) British Liberal Democrat politician

House of Commons' Hansard http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm071128/debtext/71128-0003.htm#71128-0003.htm_spnew0, 28 November 2007.
2007

Related topics