Tag Archives: @philo_quotes

To refrain from imitation is the best revenge.

To refrain from imitation is the best revenge. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? Another classically brief quote. But it is packed with meaning. It is talking about revenge and how to best achieve it. However, it doesn’t say to … Continue reading

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Whenever the speech is corrupted so is the mind.

Whenever the speech is corrupted so is the mind. – Seneca What does that mean? This quote is a cold hard truth, and one that is recognized by many people. It is a method which is regularly used to manipulate people … Continue reading

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No one has the right to be sorry for himself for a misfortune that strikes everyone.

No one has the right to be sorry for himself for a misfortune that strikes everyone. – Cicero What does that mean? While everyone complains on Tax Day or at other times when unpleasant things happen to large groups of us, … Continue reading

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We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.

We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak. – Epictetus What does that mean? Somehow, I imagine this was an old saying before Epictetus latched on to it. It certainly survives … Continue reading

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A man should be upright, not be kept upright.

A man should be upright, not be kept upright. – Marcus Aurelius What does that mean? At it’s heart, this quote is about a person and their character. It is a reminder that what we are on the inside is … Continue reading

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A great mind becomes a great fortune.

A great mind becomes a great fortune. – Seneca What does that mean? This is an excellent companion to a prior quote from Descartes, which is “It is not enough to have a good mind, the main thing is to … Continue reading

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As the twig is bent the tree inclines.

As the twig is bent the tree inclines. – Virgil What does that mean? This quote is about the path one takes in life. Lessons learned early, when we are but twigs, will impact our future, or how the tree inclines. … Continue reading

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There is no person so severely punished, as those who subject themselves to the whip of their own remorse.

There is no person so severely punished, as those who subject themselves to the whip of their own remorse. – Seneca What does that mean? The first thing to acknowledge with this quote is that there are people to whom this … Continue reading

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The harvest of old age is the recollection and abundance of blessing previously secured.

The harvest of old age is the recollection and abundance of blessing previously secured. – Cicero What does that mean? This is another saying based on the concepts of agriculture. Harvesting is what you do at the end of the season, … Continue reading

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A man’s as miserable as he thinks he is.

A man’s as miserable as he thinks he is. – Seneca What does that mean? To me, this is a statement of our relative condition. Someone from the very cold regions of the planet might be miserable at the equator, … Continue reading

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Even after a bad harvest there must be sowing.

Even after a bad harvest there must be sowing. – Seneca What does that mean? This is one of the most powerful truths of nature. No matter how poorly the harvest turned out, if you wish to have another crop, … Continue reading

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That is never too often repeated, which is never sufficiently learned.

That is never too often repeated, which is never sufficiently learned. – Seneca What does that mean? Let’s start by unwinding the negatives and reversing the halves. That brings us to “That which hasn’t been learned, hasn’t been repeated often … Continue reading

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Practice yourself, for heaven’s sake in little things, and then proceed to greater.

Practice yourself, for heaven’s sake in little things, and then proceed to greater. – Epictetus What does that mean? This quote is also stated in a slightly older English, but with better punctuation (see 2nd link at bottom of this … Continue reading

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I have striven not to laugh at human actions, not to weep at them, nor to hate them, but to understand them.

I have striven not to laugh at human actions, not to weep at them, nor to hate them, but to understand them. – Baruch Spinoza What does that mean? I like this quote, and have tried to live by it even … Continue reading

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False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.

False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil. – Socrates What does that mean? This quote is about the slippery slope of lies. First, false words, as the quote calls them, are evil and … Continue reading

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