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When men speak ill of thee, live so that nobody will believe them.
Plato
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Live your life in such a way that you are above criticism and your character speaks for itself.

This quote by Plato emphasizes the importance of personal integrity and reputation. It suggests that instead of reacting negatively to criticism, one should focus on living a virtuous life that is so exemplary that the disparagement of others will not have any effect on the truth of one's character. It encourages individuals to be mindful of their actions and to cultivate a life that reflects their values, thereby rendering falsehoods and negative words powerless.

Themes

IntegrityReputationCharacterCriticismVirtue

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about personal values and integrity, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of living a virtuous life.

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