Five enemies of peace inhabit with us - avarice, ambition, envy, anger, and pride; if these were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace.
PetrarchRead
Gold, silver, jewels, purple garments, houses built of marble, groomed estates, pious paintings, caparisoned steeds, and other things of this kind offer a mutable and superficial pleasure; books give 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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the enduring joy and deep connection that books provide compared to material wealth.
In this quote, Petrarch contrasts superficial pleasures derived from material possessions with the profound satisfaction that books offer. He suggests that while tangible luxuries may bring fleeting joy, the intimacy and enlightenment found in literature provide a much deeper and lasting fulfillment, engaging our intellect and emotions in a way that enriches our very essence.
Themes
BooksPleasureIntimacyWealthEducation
In practice
Example use cases
In a graduation speech to emphasize the importance of reading.
More from Petrarch
All quotes →Rarely do great beauty and great virtue dwell together.
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To begin with myself, then, the utterances of men concerning me will differ widely, since in passing judgment almost every one is influenced not so much by truth as by preference, and good and evil report alike know no bounds.
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True, we love life, not because we are used to living, but because we are used to loving. There is always some madness in love, but there is also always some reason in madness.
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I looked back at the summit of the mountain, which seemed but a cubit high in comparison with the height of human contemplation, were in not too often merged in the corruptions of the earth.
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Sameness is the mother of disgust, variety the cure.
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