Consequently the student who is devoid of talent will derive no more profit from this work than barren soil from a treatise on agriculture.
QuintilianRead
Forbidden pleasures alone are loved immoderately; when lawful, they do not excite desire.
Interpretation
What this quote means
People tend to crave what is forbidden more than what is allowed.
Quintilian suggests that human desire is often heightened by the allure of the forbidden. When pleasures are deemed unlawful or off-limits, they gain a certain intensity that makes them more appealing, while those pleasures that are easily accessible or permitted often lose their charm and excitement.
Themes
DesireForbiddenPleasureTemptationLawful
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the nature of desire, illustrating how what we can't have seems more attractive.
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