A god implants in mortal guilt whenever he wants utterly to confound a house.
AeschylusRead
So in the Libyan fable it is told That once an eagle, stricken with a dart, Said, when he saw the fashion of the shaft: With our own feathers, not by others' hands, Are we now smitten.
Interpretation
Our own actions and choices can lead to our downfall.
This quote from Aeschylus reflects on the idea that the struggles and hardships we face are often a result of our own decisions and actions rather than external forces. The eagle, wounded by a dart made from its own feathers, symbolizes how we can be harmed by our creations or choices, reminding us to take responsibility for our circumstances and be mindful of the consequences of our actions.
In practice
This quote is perfect for a discussion on personal accountability in a self-improvement seminar.
A god implants in mortal guilt whenever he wants utterly to confound a house.
Neither a life of anarchy nor a life under a despot should you praise. To all that lies in the middle has a god given excellence.
In every tyrant's heart there springs in the end this poison, that he cannot trust a friend.
It is not the oath that makes us believe the man, but the man the oath.
In war, truth is the first casualty.
There is no pain so great as the memory of joy in present grief.
Enthusiasm is the leaping lightning, not to be measured by the horse-power of the understanding
The moment that we realize our attention has wandered is the magic moment of the practice, because that's the moment we have the chance to be really different. Instead of judging ourselves, and berating ourselves, and condemning ourselves, we can be gentle with ourselves.
The things hardest to bear are sweetest to remember.
Heir to your own karma doesn't mean 'You get what you deserve.' I think it means 'You get what you get.' Bad things happen to good people. My happiness depending on my action means, to me, that it depends on my action of choosing compassion--for myself as well as for everyone else--rather than contention. [p.61]
When I write, I aim in my mind not toward New York but toward a vague spot a little to the east of Kansas.
Concision in style, precision in thought, decision in life.
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