Nothing is more durable than the dynasty of Doubt; for he reigns in the hearts of all his people, but gives satisfaction to none of them, and yet he is the only despot who can never die, while any of his subjects live.
Charles Caleb ColtonRead
Envy, if surrounded on all sides by the brightness of another's prosperity, like the scorpion confined within a circle of fire, will sting itself to death.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Envy destroys the envious as they focus on others' successes instead of their own.
This quote illustrates the destructive nature of envy by comparing it to a scorpion trapped in a circle of fire, suggesting that when one is consumed by jealousy towards others' prosperity, it ultimately leads to their own downfall. It serves as a reminder that focusing on what others have can harm one's own well-being.
Themes
EnvyProsperitySelf-DestructionJealousyWell-Being
In practice
Example use cases
Sharing this quote during a team meeting about personal growth.
More from Charles Caleb Colton
All quotes βIt is astonishing how much more people are interested in lengthening life than improving it.
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The benevolent have the advantage of the envious, even in this present life; for the envious man is tormented not only by all the ill that befalls himself, but by all the good that happens to another; whereas the benevolent man is the better prepared to bear his own calamities unruffled, from the complacency and serenity he has secured from contemplating the prosperity of all around him.
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Happiness, that grand mistress of the ceremonies in the dance of life, impels us through all its mazes and meanderings, but leads none of us by the same route.
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Our minds are as different as our faces. We are all traveling to one destination: happiness, but few are going by the same road.
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Moderation is the inseparable companion of wisdom, but with it genius has not even a nodding acquaintance.
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