The entire world is my temple, and a very fine one too, if I'm not mistaken, and I'll never lack priests to serve it as long as there are men.
Desiderius ErasmusRead
Man is to man either a god or a wolf.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that humans can exhibit both divine qualities and brutal instincts toward one another.
Desiderius Erasmus's quote delves into the dual nature of humanity, implying that we have the capacity for both benevolence and cruelty. Just as a god symbolizes the highest ideals of kindness, compassion, and support, a wolf represents instinctual savagery and self-serving behavior. This dichotomy suggests that our treatment of each other oscillates between these two extremes, reflecting the complexities of human relationships and morality.
Themes
Human NatureMoralityRelationshipsDualityCompassionCruelty
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on ethics, one might cite this quote to illustrate the complexities of human interactions.
More from Desiderius Erasmus
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You'll see certain Pythagorean whose belief in communism of property goes to such lengths that they pick up anything lying about unguarded, and make off with it without a qualm of conscience as if it had come to them by law.
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[N]o party is any fun unless seasoned with folly.
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If you look at history you'll find that no state has been so plagued by its rulers as when power has fallen into the hands of some dabbler in philosophy or literary addict.
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Fortune favours the audacious.
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