Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly.
—Plutarch
Topics: Conversation, Profit, Listening
It is the admirer of himself, and not the admirer of virtue, that thinks himself superior to others.
—Plutarch
Topics: Conceit
Under the veil of these curious sentences are hid those germs of morals which the masters of philosophy have afterwards developed into so many volumes.
—Plutarch
Neither blame or praise yourself.
—Plutarch
Topics: Blame
It is a thing of no great difficulty to raise objections against another man’s oration—nay, it is a very easy matter; but to produce a better in its place is a work extremely troublesome.
—Plutarch
Topics: Criticism
To find fault, is easy; to do better may be difficult.
—Plutarch
Topics: Difficulty, Blame, Faults
Fate leads him who follows it, and drags him who resist.
—Plutarch
Topics: Fate
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
Topics: Divorce
A traveller at Sparta, standing long upon one leg, said to a Lacedaemonian, “I do not believe you can do as much.” “True,” said he, “but every goose can.”
—Plutarch
Topics: Ability
We must prune it with care, so as only to remove the redundant branches, and not injure the stem, which has its root in a generous sensitiveness to shame.
—Plutarch
Epaminondas, finding himself lifted up in the day of his public triumph, the next day went drooping and hanging down his head; and being asked what was the reason of his so great dejection, made answer: “Yesterday I felt myself transported with vainglory, therefore I chastise myself for it today.”
—Plutarch
Topics: Humility
Medicine, to produce health, has to examine disease; and music, to create harmony, must investigate discord.
—Plutarch
Topics: Music, Harmony, Medicine
Some one praising a man for his fool hardy bravery, Cato, the elder, said, “There is a wide difference between true courage and a mere contempt of life.”
—Plutarch
Topics: Bravery
Rest is the sweet sauce of labor.
—Plutarch
Topics: Rest, Leisure, One liners
I, for my part, wonder what sort of feeling, mind or reason that man was possessed who was first to pollute his mouth with gore, and allow his lips to touch the flesh of a murdered being; who spread his table with the mangled form of dead bodies, and claimed as daily food and dainty dishes what but know were beings endowed with with movement, with perception and with voice.
—Plutarch
Topics: Vegetarianism
Prosperity is not just scale; adversity is the only balance to weigh friends.
—Plutarch
Topics: Adversity, Friendship
Someone praising a man for his foolhardy bravery, Cato, the elder, said, “There is a wide difference between true courage and a mere contempt of life.”
—Plutarch
Topics: Praise
If any man think it a small matter to bridle his tongue, he is much mistaken; for it is a point to be silent when occasion requires, and better than to speak, though never so well.
—Plutarch
Topics: Silence
Euripides was wont to say that silence was an answer to a wise man; but we seem to have greater occasion for it in our dealing with fools and unreasonable persons; for men of breeding and sense will be satisfied with reason and fair words.
—Plutarch
Topics: Silence
Wickedness is a wonderfully diligent architect of misery, and shame, accompanied with terror, commotion, remorse, and endless perturbation.
—Plutarch
Topics: Wickedness
If you hate your enemies, you will contract such a vicious habit of mind as by degrees will break out upon those who are your friends, or those who are indifferent to you.
—Plutarch
Topics: Hatred
Those who aim at great deeds must also suffer greatly.
—Plutarch
Topics: Acceptance, Adversity, Realistic Expectations
Solon being asked, namely, what city was best to live in. That city, he replied, in which those who are not wronged, no less than those who are wronged, exert themselves to punish the wrongdoers.
—Plutarch
For it was not so much that by means of words I came to a complete understanding of things, as that from things I somehow had an experience which enabled me to follow the meaning of words.
—Plutarch
Topics: Words
It was a shrewd saying, whoever said it, “That the man who first brought ruin on the Roman people was he who pampered them by largesses and amusements.”
—Plutarch
Topics: Luxury
They named it Ovation from the Latin ovis.
—Plutarch
Topics: Applause
The wildest colts make the best horses.
—Plutarch
Topics: Children
Distressed valor challenges great respect, even from an enemy.
—Plutarch
Topics: Bravery, Valor
Vos vestros servate, meos mihi linquite mores
You keep to your own ways, and leave mine to me.
—Plutarch
Topics: Advice
Nothing is harder to direct than a man in prosperity; nothing more easily managed than one in adversity.
—Plutarch
Topics: Adversity, Prosperity, Success & Failure
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
- Epictetus Ancient Greek Philosopher
- Plotinus Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mystic
- Xenocrates Greek Philosopher, Scientist
- Euripides Ancient Greek Dramatist
- Homer Ancient Greek Poet
- Heraclitus Ancient Greek Philosopher
- Bias of Priene Greek Orator
- Aristotle Ancient Greek Philosopher
- Plato Ancient Greek Philosopher
- Sophocles Ancient Greek Dramatist
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