The greatest men are connected with their own century always through some weakness.
[Die größten Menschen hängen immer mit ihrem Jahrhundert durch eine Schwachheit zuammen.]
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) German poet, statesman, scientist
Elective Affinities [Die Wahlverwandtschaften], Part 2, ch. 5, “From Ottilie’s Journal [Aus Ottiliens Tagebuche]” (1809) [Niles ed. (1872)]
(Source)
(Source (German)). Alternate translation:
The greatest human beings are always linked to their century by some weakness.
[tr. Hollingdale (1971)]
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contemporary
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EDGAR: Know thou this: that men
Are as the time is; to be tender-minded
Does not become a sword.William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English dramatist and poet
King Lear, Act 5, sc. 3, l. 35ff (5.3.35-37) (1606)
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