46-120 AD, Greek Essayist, Biographer
A Roman divorced from his wife, being highly blamed by his friends, who demanded, ''Was she not chaste? Was she not fair? Was she not fruitful?'' holding out his shoe, asked them whether it was not new and well made. ''Yet,'' added he, ''none of you can tell where it pinches me.
Plutarch – [Divorce]
Abstain from beans.
Plutarch – [Food and Eating]
All men whilst they are awake are in one common world: but each of them, when he is asleep, is in a world of his own.
Plutarch – [Sleep]
Character is simply habit long continued.
Plutarch – [Character]
Courage consists not in hazarding without fear; but being resolutely minded in a just cause.
Plutarch – [Courage]
Courage stands halfway between cowardice and rashness, one of which is a lack, the other an excess of courage.
Plutarch – [Courage]
Distressed valor challenges great respect, even from an enemy.
Plutarch – [Valor]
Do not speak of your happiness to one less fortunate than yourself.
Plutarch – [Happiness]
Fate leads him who follows it, and drags him who resist.
Plutarch – [Fate]
Good birth is a fine thing, but the merit is our ancestors.
Plutarch – [Birth]
In human life there is constant change of fortune; and it is unreasonable to expect an exemption from the common fate. Life itself decays, and all things are daily changing.
Plutarch – [Change]
In words are seen the state of mind and character and disposition of the speaker.
Plutarch – [Words]
It is indeed a desirable thing to be well-descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors.
Plutarch – [Ancestry]
It is part of a good man to do great and noble deeds, though he risk everything.
Plutarch – [Integrity]
Learn to be pleased with everything; with wealth, so far as it makes us beneficial to others; with poverty, for not having much to care for; and with obscurity, for being unenvied.
Plutarch – [Contentment]
Medicine to produce health must examine disease; and music, to create harmony must investigate discord.
Plutarch – [Music]
Not by lamentations and mournful chants ought we to celebrate the funeral of a good man, but by hymns, for in ceasing to be numbered with mortals he enters upon the heritage of a diviner life.
Plutarch – [Death and Dying]
Nothing is cheap which is superfluous, for what one does not need, is dear at a penny.
Plutarch – [Bargains]
Nothing is harder to direct than a man in prosperity; nothing more easily managed that one is adversity.
Plutarch – [Prosperity]
Perseverance is more prevailing than violence; and many things which cannot be overcome when they are together yield themselves up when taken little by little.
Plutarch – [Perseverance]