Plutarch was an ancient Greek philosopher, essayist and biographer. It was under the guidance of philosopher Ammonius that he studied Mathematics and Philosophy. He studied a variety of subjects in philosophy, but his main focus revolved around ‘Ethics’. He maintained citizenship of Athens and lived as a priest in Delphi. Plutarch played an eminent role in writing references. His writings, thoughts, sayings and work are legendary and are quoted extensivel. His very first work titled, ‘Lives of the Roman emperors’, is considered to be his most popular work besides ‘Parallel Lives’, a series of biographies of famous Greek and Roman personalities. He wrote the ‘Life of Alexander’, ‘Life of Caesar’ and ‘Life of Pyrrhus’, documenting the history of their life and regime. He also authored a set of essays and documented speeches, which happen to be his surviving work called ‘Moralia’. ‘On the Malice of Herodotus’, is one of his works where he criticizes historian Herodotus. By his works, essays, thoughts, sayings, quotations and writings he not only earned himself a spot in history, but also bridged the gap of knowledge across eras. Following is a collection thoughts and quotes on education, friendship, life and philosophy by him.
The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.
Plutarch
I don’t need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better.
Change Need I
Plutarch
What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.
Change Will
Plutarch
An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics.
Plutarch
To find fault is easy; to do better may be difficult.
Plutarch
Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly.
You Will
Plutarch
The poor go to war, to fight and die for the delights, riches, and superfluities of others.
War
Plutarch
Adversity is the only balance to weigh friends.
Friends
Plutarch
To make no mistakes is not in the power of man; but from their errors and mistakes the wise and good learn wisdom for the future.
Future Power
Plutarch
The whole of life is but a moment of time. It is our duty, therefore to use it, not to misuse it.
Life Time
Plutarch
Books delight to the very marrow of one’s bones. They speak to us, consult with us, and join with us in a living and intense intimacy.
Living Books
Plutarch
It is certainly desirable to be well descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors.
Plutarch
Neither blame or praise yourself.
Yourself
Plutarch
Of all the disorders in the soul, envy is the only one no one confesses to.
Soul
Plutarch
When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer. (Technically a misquote, but I like the misquote better)
Like I
Plutarch
To be ignorant of the lives of the most celebrated men of antiquity is to continue in a state of childhood all our days
Plutarch
Music, to create harmony, must investigate discord.
Music
Plutarch
Do not speak of your happiness to one less fortunate than yourself.
Yourself Happiness
Plutarch
But for the sake of some little mouthful of flesh we deprive a soul of the sun and light, and of that proportion of life and time it had been born into the world to enjoy.
Life Time Soul
Plutarch
Silence at the proper season is wisdom, and better than any speech.
Plutarch
Courage stands halfway between cowardice and rashness, one of which is a lack, the other an excess of courage.
Plutarch
It is a thing of no great difficulty to raise objections against another man’s oration, it is a very easy matter; but to produce a better in it’s place is a work extremely troublesome.
Plutarch
It does not follow, that because a particular work of art succeeds in charming us, its creator also deserves our admiration.
Art
Plutarch
Painting is silent poetry.
Plutarch
It is part of a good man to do great and noble deeds, though he risk everything.
Plutarch
All men whilst they are awake are in one common world: but each of them, when he is asleep, is in a world of his own.
Plutarch
Evidence of trust begets trust, and love is reciprocated by love.
Love
Plutarch
Vultures are the most righteous of birds: they do not attack even the smallest living creature.
Living
Plutarch
In words are seen the state of mind and character and disposition of the speaker.
Character
Plutarch
Many things which cannot be overcome when they are together yield themselves up when taken little by little.
Together
Plutarch
…To the Dolphin alone, beyond all other, nature has granted what the best philosophers seek: friendship for no advantage
Nature Alone
Plutarch
Prosperity is no just scale; adversity is the only balance to weigh friends.
Friends
Plutarch
A few vices are sufficient to darken many virtues.
Plutarch
Courage consists not in hazarding without fear; but being resolutely minded in a just cause.
Plutarch
For there is no virtue, the honor and credit for which procures a man more odium than that of justice; and this, because more than any other, it acquires a man power and authority among the common people.
Power
Plutarch
The Spartans do not ask how many are the enemy but where are they.
Plutarch
In a certain faraway land the cold is so intense that words freeze as soon as they are uttered, and after some time then thaw and become audible so that words spoken in winter go unheard until the next summer.
Time
Plutarch
Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks.
Plutarch
It’s a thing of no great difficulty to raise objections against another man’s oration, it is a very easy matter; but to produce a better in its place is a work extremely troublesome.
Plutarch
But the Lacedaemonians, who make it their first principle of action to serve their country’s interest, know not any thing to be just or unjust by any measure but that.
Plutarch
The process may seem strange and yet it is very true. I did not so much gain the knowledge of things by the words, as words by the experience I had of things.
Experience I
Plutarch
In Springtime, O Dionysos, To thy holy temple come, To Elis with thy Graces, Rushing with thy bull-foot, come, Noble Bull, Noble Bull
Plutarch
He who least likes courting favour, ought also least to think of resenting neglect; to feel wounded at being refused a distinction can only arise from an overweening appetite to have it.
Think
Plutarch
I am all that hath been, and is, and shall be; and my veil no mortal has hitherto raised.
I
Plutarch
[It was] better to set up a monarchy themselves than to suffer a sedition to continue that must certainly end in one.
Plutarch
A mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be lighted.
Plutarch
Rather I fear on the contrary that while we banish painful thoughts we may banish memory as well.
Fear I
Plutarch
Come and take them
Plutarch
The superstitious man wishes he did not believe in gods, as the atheist does not, but fears to disbelieve in them.
Believe
Plutarch
When asked by a woman from Attica:’Why are you Spartan women the only ones who can rule men?’, she said: ‘Because we are the only ones who give birth to men.
You Women
Plutarch
So long as he was personally present, [Alcibiades] had the perfect mastery of his political adversaries; calumny only succeeded in his absence.
Plutarch
They insist upon the shaving of the moustache, I think, in order that they may accustom the young men to obedience in the most trifling matters.
Think Young I
Plutarch
It is a true proverb, that if you live with a lame man, you will learn to limp.
You Will
Plutarch
The whole like of a man is but a point of time; let us enjoy it.
Like
Plutarch
For though all persons are equally subject to the caprice of fortune, yet all good men have one advantage she cannot deny, which is this, to act reasonably under misfortunes.
Plutarch
I don’t need a friend who change when I change, who nod when I nod. This is something than my own shadow can do.
Change Need I
Plutarch
The fact is that men who know nothing of decency in their own lives are only too ready to launch foul slanders against their betters and to offer them up as victims to the evil deity of popular envy.
Plutarch
Plutarch Quotes
The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.
Plutarch
I don’t need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better.
Plutarch
The abuse of buying and selling votes crept in and money began to play an important part in determining elections. Later on, this process of corruption spread to the law courts. And then to the army, and finally the Republic was subjected to the rule of emperors
Plutarch
An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics.
Plutarch
Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly.
Plutarch
Reason speaks and feeling bites
Plutarch
Learn to be pleased with everything…because it could always be worse, but isn’t!
Plutarch
Vultures are the most righteous of birds: they do not attack even the smallest living creature.
Plutarch
A fool cannot hold his tongue.
Plutarch
Barba non facit philosophum
Plutarch
Either is both, and Both is neither.
Plutarch
For the wise man, every day is a festival.
Plutarch
The omission of good is no less reprehensible than the commission of evil.
Plutarch
The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits.
Plutarch
Character is simply habit long continued.
Plutarch
Our senses through ignorance of Reality, falsely tell us that what appears to be, is. FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real
Plutarch
If you hate your enemies, you will contract such a vicious habit of mind that it will break out upon those who are your friends, or those who are indifferent to you.
Plutarch
The richest soil, if uncultivated, produces the rankest weeds.
Plutarch
What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.
Plutarch
The measure of a man is the way he bears up under misfortune.
Plutarch
There are two sentences inscribed upon the Ancient oracle… “Know thyself” and “Nothing too much”; and upon these all other precepts depend.
Plutarch
The drop hollows out the stone not by strength, but by constant falling.
Plutarch
To make no mistakes is not in the power of man; but from their errors and mistakes the wise and good learn wisdom for the future.
Plutarch
It is not the most distinguished achievements that men’s virtues or vices may be best discovered; but very often an action of small note. An casual remark or joke shall distinguish a person’s real character more than the greatest sieges, or the most important battles.
Plutarch
A few vices are sufficient to darken many virtues.