The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
One cannot answer for his courage when he has never been in danger.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Courage is only proven in the face of danger, and one cannot claim to be courageous if they've never faced peril.
This quote suggests that true courage can only be measured in situations that challenge us, particularly when we face danger or fear. It implies that without encountering such trials, one cannot genuinely say they possess courage, as it has not been tested in a meaningful way.
Themes
CourageDangerFearBraveryChallenges
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a motivational speech about facing fears and embracing challenges.
More from Francois De La Rochefoucauld
All quotes βOld men delight in giving good advice as a consolation for the fact that they can no longer set bad examples.
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Some counterfeits reproduce so very well the truth that it would be a flaw of judgment not to be deceived by them.
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Conceit causes more conversation than wit.
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The defects and faults of the mind are like wounds in the body; after all imaginable care has been taken to heal them up, still there will be a scar left behind, and they are in continual danger of breaking the skin and bursting out again.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
To understand matters rightly we should understand their details; and as that knowledge is almost infinite, our knowledge is always superficial and imperfect.
Francois De La RochefoucauldRead
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