Nature made the fields and man the cities.
Marcus Terentius VarroRead
Divine Nature gave the fields, human art built the cities.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that nature provides the resources while human creativity shapes civilization.
In this quote, Marcus Terentius Varro reflects on the relationship between the natural world and human ingenuity. He emphasizes how the bounty of nature, symbolized by the fields, serves as the foundation for human development, represented by the cities. This duality highlights the dependence of civilization on both the natural environment and the artistic capabilities of humanity, suggesting a harmonious coalescence of nature and human effort in the progression of society.
Themes
NatureHumanityCreativityCivilizationArtFieldsCities
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on urban development, one could cite this quote to illustrate the importance of natural resources in building cities.
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