It is a true proverb, that if you live with a lame man, you will learn to limp. Plutarch More Quotes by Plutarch More Quotes From Plutarch He [Caesar] loved the treason, but hated the traitor. Plutarch treason traitor hated Wisdom is neither gold, nor silver, nor fame, nor wealth, nor health, nor strength, nor beauty. Plutarch wealth wisdom gold Hesiod might as well have kept his breath to cool his pottage. Plutarch breaths wells might It is the usual consolation of the envious, if they cannot maintain their superiority, to represent those by whom they are surpassed as inferior to some one else. Plutarch envious consolation usual Playing the Cretan with the Cretans (i.e. lying to liars). Plutarch liars lying Come back with your shield - or on it Plutarch sparta shields greek So also it is good not always to make a friend of the person who is expert in twining himself around us; but, after testing them, to attach ourselves to those who are worthy of our affection and likely to be serviceable to us. Plutarch affection friends experts Friendship is the most pleasant of all things, and nothing more glads the heart of man. Plutarch heart friendship men To Harmodius, descended from the ancient Harmodius, when he reviled Iphicrates [a shoemaker's son] for his mean birth, "My nobility," said he, "begins in me, but yours ends in you. Plutarch birth mean son Were it only to learn benevolence to humankind, we should be merciful to other creatures. Plutarch benevolence humankind should The usual disease of princes, grasping covetousness, had made them suspicious and quarrelsome neighbors. Plutarch neighbor disease usual Proper listening is the foundation of proper living. Plutarch foundation listening Blinded as they are to their true character by self-love, every man is his own first and chiefest flatterer, prepared, therefore, to welcome the flatterer from the outside, who only comes confirming the verdict of the flatterer within. Plutarch self character men As those that pull down private houses adjoining to the temples of the gods, prop up such parts as are contiguous to them; so, in undermining bashfulness, due regard is to be had to adjacent modesty, good-nature and humanity. Plutarch temples humanity house To do an evil action is base; to do a good action without incurring danger is common enough; but it is the part of a good man to do great and noble deeds, though he risks every thing. Plutarch evil courage men When I myself had twice or thrice made a resolute resistance unto anger, the like befell me that did the Thebans; who, having once foiled the Lacedaemonians (who before that time had held themselves invincible), never after lost so much as one battle which they fought against them. Plutarch resistance anger battle Lamentation is the only musician that always, like a screech-owl, alights and sits on the roof of any angry man. Plutarch angry-man anger men Let a prince be guarded with soldiers, attended by councillors, and shut up in forts; yet if his thoughts disturb him, he is miserable. Plutarch shut-up miserable soldier As soft wax is apt to take the stamp of the seal, so are the minds of young children to receive the instruction imprinted on them. Plutarch instruction mind children Pittacus said, "Every one of you hath his particular plague, and my wife is mine; and he is very happy who hath this only". Plutarch very-happy wife said