I had much rather be adorned by beauty of character than by jewels. Jewels are the gift of fortune, character comes from within.
PlautusRead
Property is unstable, and youth perishes in a moment. Life itself is held in the grinning fangs of Death, Yet men delay to obtain release from the world. Alas, the conduct of mankind is surprising.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the transient nature of life and the folly of human hesitation in seeking freedom from worldly attachments.
Plautus emphasizes the fleeting nature of youth and the inevitability of death, suggesting that while life is precariously balanced, people often remain shackled by their worldly concerns. The surprising behavior of mankind, in clinging to possessions and fears, highlights a paradox where the fear of mortality makes them delay seeking liberation from their earthly ties.
Themes
LifeDeathFreedomYouthHuman Behavior
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about embracing life, one could quote this to emphasize the importance of seizing the moment.
More from Plautus
All quotes →Things we do not expect, happen more frequently than we wish.
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The gods confound the man who first found out How to distinguish hours! Confound him, too, Who in this place set up a sun-dial, To cut and hack my days so wretchedly Into small portions.
PlautusRead
I would rather be adorned by beauty of character than jewels. Jewels are the gift of fortune, while character comes from within.
PlautusRead
If I can only keep my good name, I shall have riches enough.
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Spice a dish with love and it pleases every palate.
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Humans are just a very, very small part of the panoply of life, and it is arguable that in a certain sense, humans have emancipated themselves from Darwinian selection.
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Whatever is silenced will clamor to be heard, though silently.
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A brushstroke of vanity is good to add into the mix, to balance your timidity. We're all blessed with a lot of timidity and a lot of worry and anxiety, and vanity is a good antidote.
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Gaza is going to test who believes in the worth of human beings.
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