Plutarch Quotes
Plutarch of Chaeronea was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, biographer, and priest at Delphi. His Parallel Lives paired famous Greeks with famous Romans to illuminate the moral character of each, and his Moralia collects essays on ethics, religion, education, politics, and natural philosophy. The quotes below are attributed to Plutarch, organized by topic.
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Plutarch on Knowledge
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“ἀρετή τοι δυστυχοῦσι μεγάλην ἔχει μοῖραν αἰδοῦς καὶ παρὰ πολεμίοις, δειλία δὲ Ῥωμαίοις κἂν εὐποτμῇ πάντων ἀτιμότατον.”
Valour, however unfortunate, commands great respect even from enemies: but the Romans despise cowardice, even though it be prosperous. | Aemilius Paulus , 26.12 (tr. Stewart and Long) -
“Valour, however unfortunate, commands great respect even from enemies: but the Romans despise cowardice, even though it be prosperous.”
ἀρετή τοι δυστυχοῦσι μεγάλην ἔχει μοῖραν αἰδοῦς καὶ παρὰ πολεμίοις, δειλία δὲ Ῥωμαίοις κἂν εὐποτμῇ πάντων ἀτιμότατον. -
“Aemilius Paulus , 26.12 (tr. Stewart and Long)”
ἀρετή τοι δυστυχοῦσι μεγάλην ἔχει μοῖραν αἰδοῦς καὶ παρὰ πολεμίοις, δειλία δὲ Ῥωμαίοις κἂν εὐποτμῇ πάντων ἀτιμότατον. -
“ὁρᾶτ᾿" εἶπεν "ἄνδρες σύμμαχοι τὴν ἐπιμονὴν ἀνυσιμωτέραν τῆς βίας οὖσαν καὶ πολλὰ τῶν ἀθρόως ἀλήπτων ἐνδιδόντα τῷ κατὰ μικρόν.”
Perseverance is more prevailing than violence; and many things which cannot be overcome when they are together, yield themselves up when taken little by little. | Sertorius , 16.9 (tr. Dryden and Clough) -
“Perseverance is more prevailing than violence; and many things which cannot be overcome when they are together, yield themselves up when taken little by little.”
ὁρᾶτ᾿" εἶπεν "ἄνδρες σύμμαχοι τὴν ἐπιμονὴν ἀνυσιμωτέραν τῆς βίας οὖσαν καὶ πολλὰ τῶν ἀθρόως ἀλήπτων ἐνδιδόντα τῷ κατὰ μικρόν. -
“Sertorius , 16.9 (tr. Dryden and Clough)”
ὁρᾶτ᾿" εἶπεν "ἄνδρες σύμμαχοι τὴν ἐπιμονὴν ἀνυσιμωτέραν τῆς βίας οὖσαν καὶ πολλὰ τῶν ἀθρόως ἀλήπτων ἐνδιδόντα τῷ κατὰ μικρόν. -
“ὃ δὲ δοκεῖ μάλιστα καὶ λέγεται τρόπον ἀνδρὸς ἐπιδεικνύναι καὶ βασανίζειν, ἐξουσία καὶ ἀρχὴ πᾶν πάθος κινοῦσα καὶ πᾶσαν ἀποκαλύπτουσα κακίαν.”
Authority and place demonstrate and try the tempers of men, by moving every passion and discovering every frailty. | Comparison of Demosthenes and Cicero , 3.2 (tr. Dryden and Clough) -
“Authority and place demonstrate and try the tempers of men, by moving every passion and discovering every frailty.”
ὃ δὲ δοκεῖ μάλιστα καὶ λέγεται τρόπον ἀνδρὸς ἐπιδεικνύναι καὶ βασανίζειν, ἐξουσία καὶ ἀρχὴ πᾶν πάθος κινοῦσα καὶ πᾶσαν ἀποκαλύπτουσα κακίαν. -
“Comparison of Demosthenes and Cicero , 3.2 (tr. Dryden and Clough)”
ὃ δὲ δοκεῖ μάλιστα καὶ λέγεται τρόπον ἀνδρὸς ἐπιδεικνύναι καὶ βασανίζειν, ἐξουσία καὶ ἀρχὴ πᾶν πάθος κινοῦσα καὶ πᾶσαν ἀποκαλύπτουσα κακίαν. -
“τόν γε σοφώτατον οὐχ ἁμαρτήσεται σύμβουλον ἀναμείνας, χρόνον.”
Be ruled by time, the wisest counsellor of all. | Pericles , 18.2 (tr. Dryden and Clough)
Plutarch on Life
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Attributed to Plutarch:
“The whole life of man is but a point of time; let us enjoy it, therefore, while it lasts, and not spend it to no purpose.”
Plutarch on Mind
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Attributed to Plutarch:
“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”
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Attributed to Plutarch:
“What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.”
Plutarch on Truth
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Attributed to Plutarch:
“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.”
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Attributed to Plutarch:
“Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks.”
Plutarch on Virtue
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Attributed to Plutarch:
“Character is simply habit long continued.”
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Attributed to Plutarch:
“To find a fault is easy; to do better may be difficult.”