We are slow to believe that which if believed would hurt our feelings.
OvidRead
Gifts, believe me, captivate both men and Gods, Jupiter himself was won over and appeased by gifts.
Interpretation
Gifts have the power to influence and persuade both people and divine beings.
This quote by Ovid emphasizes the profound impact that gifts and offerings can have on relationships and interactions. It suggests that both humans and deities, such as Jupiter, can be swayed or appeased through the act of giving, highlighting the importance of generosity and the social dynamics of gift-giving in fostering goodwill and connection.
In practice
During a wedding speech, I would use this quote to highlight the importance of thoughtful gifts in building relationships.
We are slow to believe that which if believed would hurt our feelings.
All things human hang by a slender thread; and that which seemed to stand strong suddenly falls and sinks in ruins.
A new idea is delicate. It can be killed by a sneer or a yawn; it can be stabbed to death by a quip and worried to death by a frown on the right man's brow.
Fas est ab hoste doceri._x000D_ One should learn even from one's enemies.
Be patient and tough; someday this pain will be useful to you.
The end doesn't justify the means.
Materialism is in fact no protection. Those who seek it in that hope (they are not a negligible class) will be disappointed. The thing you fear is impossible. Well and good. Can you therefore cease to fear it? Not here and now. And what then? If you must see ghosts, it is better not to disbelieve in them.
For outward show is a wonderful perverter of the reason.
The only freedom is the freedom from the known.
The mere physical man is like the ant crawling on the paper, who observes black lettering and attributes its production to the pen and nothing more.
We came to realise - first with astonishment, then bitterness, and finally with indifference - that intellect apparently wasn't the most important thing...not ideas, but the system; not freedom, but drill. We had joined up with enthusiasm and with good will; but they did everything to knock that out of us.
If people knew the story of their lives, how many would then elect to live them?
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