WIST Quotations

Democritus -- Frag. 69 (Diels) [tr. @sententiq (2018), fr. 68]

Dave — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 18:52:07 +0000

Truth and goodness are the same for all people. But pleasure varies from one to another.

Ἀνθρώποις πᾶσι τωὐτὸν ἀγαθὸν καὶ ἀληθές· ἡδὺ δὲ ἄλλωι ἄλλο.

Democritus (c. 460 BC – c. 370 BC) Greek philosopher
Frag. 69 (Diels) [tr. @sententiq (2018), fr. 68]

Diels citation "69. (6 N.) DEMOKRATES. 34.". Freeman notes this as one of the Gnômae, from a collection called "Maxims of Democratês," but because Stobaeus quotes many of these as "Maxims of Democritus," they are generally attributed to the latter. Other translations:

"For all men, good and true are the same; but pleasant differs for different men." [tr. Freeman (1948)]
"The same thing is good and true for all men. But what is pleasant differs from one to another." [Warren (2008)]
"Goodness and truth are the same for all men: but pleasure differs from man to man." [Source]

Tuchman, Barbara -- The Guns of August, ch. 7 (1962)

Dave — Tue, 19 May 2015 11:59:02 +0000

Honor wears different coats to different eyes.

Barbara W. Tuchman (1912–1989) American historian and author
The Guns of August, ch. 7 (1962)

La Fontaine, Jean de -- (Attributed)

Dave — Fri, 08 May 2015 13:37:06 +0000

Everyone believes very easily whatever they fear or desire.

Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1695) French fabulist and poet
(Attributed)

Becker, Carl -- The Heavenly City of the Eighteenth-Century Philosophers (1932)

Dave — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 13:01:46 +0000

Since history is not an objective reality, but only an imaginative reconstruction of vanished events, the pattern that appears useful or agreeable to one generation is never entirely so to the next.

Carl L. Becker (1873–1945) American historian
The Heavenly City of the Eighteenth-Century Philosophers (1932)

Shakespeare, William -- Much Ado About Nothing, Act 5, sc. 1, l. 37ff (5.1.37-38) (1598)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

LEONATO: For there was never a philosopher
That could endure the toothache patiently.

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) English dramatist and poet
Much Ado About Nothing, Act 5, sc. 1, l. 37ff (5.1.37-38) (1598)

~Other -- Ron Ward

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

One man’s perfectly rational and objective decision making may be another man’s utter insanity.

(Other Authors and Sources)
Ron Ward