The entire world is my temple, and a very fine one too, if I'm not mistaken, and I'll never lack priests to serve it as long as there are men.
Desiderius ErasmusRead
Amongst the learned the lawyers claim first place, the most self-satisfied class of people, as they roll their rock of Sisyphus and string together six hundred laws in the same breath, no matter whether relevant or not, piling up opinion on opinion and gloss on gloss to make their profession seem the most difficult of all. Anything which causes trouble has special merit in their eyes.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote critiques the legal profession for its complexity and self-importance, suggesting lawyers complicate matters unnecessarily.
Erasmus highlights the tendency of lawyers to create an intricate web of laws and opinions, presenting their profession as highly demanding. He implies that this complexity serves to elevate their status, while also remarking on the irony that difficulties and troubles are valued by lawyers, suggesting a self-satisfaction in their challenging work that may not actually benefit society.
Themes
LawLawyersComplexitySocietyCritique
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about the legal system's efficiency, this quote can be used to illustrate the excessive complexity created by lawyers.
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If you look at history you'll find that no state has been so plagued by its rulers as when power has fallen into the hands of some dabbler in philosophy or literary addict.
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